Adolf von Menzel 

Curator: This is a woodcut portrait simply titled "Adolf von Menzel." It's a striking monochrome image of a man's head and shoulders. What do you make of it initially? Editor: It has a severe gravity. The stark black and white, the unflinching gaze…it projects an almost unforgiving intellectual intensity. He seems weary but determined. Curator: Exactly! It resonates, in some ways, with a cultural expectation of older, intellectual men— a patriarchal image we're almost conditioned to recognize. What happens, then, if we start digging at these power structures? Woodcut prints allowed art to be more easily circulated in society at large during the modern era and to shape social values and norms. Editor: I agree that these portrait prints provided and still provide valuable cultural insights! Tell me more about von Menzel and the moment of this woodcut’s creation. It’s clearly within the tradition of realism. Curator: Considering its public function in Germany, woodcuts such as these participated in the visual culture. The effect is less flattering and idealized and more concerned with representing him as a working intellectual within the 19th-century bourgeoisie. The effect is really powerful in solidifying class representation. Editor: He's got a palpable humanity that transcends social status, too. Look at the deep lines etched around his eyes; it conveys a lifetime of observation. And look closely at his spectacles. Curator: Yes, they speak volumes, don’t they? This man sees everything; or at least, thinks he does. It's a fascinating lens through which to consider portraiture as social commentary. Thank you for offering fresh perspectives, it encourages viewers to think critically. Editor: Thank you as well. Thinking about what images are out there shaping society makes understanding our visual reality ever-changing and vital!