Reproductie van een gravure van een portret van Abraham Teniers door Gerard Edelinck before 1877

This is a reproduction of a portrait of Abraham Teniers by Joseph Maes, created as an engraving. Maes's print revives a portrait originally made by Gerard Edelinck. This image offers a glimpse into the way artists build their reputations and form part of a cultural establishment. Maes, working in the 19th century, looks back to Edelinck, who in turn was portraying Teniers, a painter from the 17th century. The very act of reproducing this image speaks to the institutional forces at play. It shows us how artistic legacy is constructed and maintained through time. To fully understand the image, we might delve into the archives of art academies or the records of printmaking workshops. We can learn a lot about the way artistic reputations are formed and how images circulate within a culture. Examining these resources allows us to see art as part of a dynamic and ongoing social process.