Man met een portret in zijn hand c. 1700 - 1800

Editor: Here we have "Man with a Portrait in His Hand," an engraving from around 1700 to 1800, attributed to le Jeune Mercadier. It's a hand-colored print, and there's almost a comical quality to the man's attire. I’m curious, what can you tell me about its context? Curator: Well, given the period, the engraving, and even the inscription - "Profitez de l'occasion, voila de mes ouvrages" - translates loosely to "Take the opportunity, here are my works". I see this less as a portrait and more as a satirical genre scene, reflective of the era's fascination with social commentary and the burgeoning print market. Editor: Satirical? The man looks almost proud holding that portrait. What makes you say that? Curator: Think about the role of caricature and genre painting at the time. Consider it alongside the burgeoning print culture of the 18th century. Prints made art accessible, and allowed for distribution of socio-political ideas. This print isn't just showing us a man; it’s likely commenting on the fashion, perhaps the profession, or even the pretensions of the era. His exaggerated features and the theatrical presentation suggest a critique. Perhaps he's an artist himself trying to gain patrons? Editor: That makes a lot of sense. The inscription also reads “faits d'après l'original”, which could support the argument of him trying to show off original pieces of work. Curator: Precisely! Considering that so many similar works lampooned contemporary society. So we might think about this within a larger context. How the prints like this both reflected and influenced popular opinion. What are your thoughts about that dynamic? Editor: It’s fascinating how something seemingly simple can be a window into so much more. I never considered the print market as being that influential in the spread of social commentary. Curator: Exactly. It forces us to look beyond just the image to consider its function, its audience, and its impact.