Portret van de Franse koning Lodewijk XIV 1670 - 1713

Editor: This is "Portret van de Franse koning Lodewijk XIV," created sometime between 1670 and 1713 by Pieter Schenk. It's an engraving. I find it fascinating how a print can capture so much detail, especially in the lace and the king's hair. What strikes you about it? Curator: As a materialist, I immediately consider the engraving process itself. Think about the labor involved, the skill in translating a royal image into reproducible form. It was not just about likeness; it was about circulating power. The materials—the metal plate, the ink, the paper—were all carefully chosen to produce multiple copies. Do you consider who this was created *for*? Editor: That’s a great point. I suppose it was to show the king's likeness and project power. I hadn’t really considered how accessible prints like this could have been. Curator: Exactly! Think about how this differs from a unique painted portrait hanging in a palace. This print enters homes, is traded, potentially even used for subversive purposes. The mass production inherent in printmaking democratizes the image to some extent, and at the same time reproduces hierarchical structures. The very act of distributing an image becomes an act of controlling it too, do you agree? Editor: That's interesting – the act of mass production *is* an act of control... I guess I hadn’t really thought about the politics embedded in the *means* of creating and distributing art. I am familiar with royal iconography in painting but not print. Curator: This makes you appreciate the engraving not just as a pretty portrait, but as an artifact deeply intertwined with production, consumption, and the reinforcement of social order. Considering the materials and the process changes our perception completely. Editor: Absolutely! I'll definitely pay more attention to the medium when I am trying to understand historical contexts. Thanks!