Portret van Frederik Maurits van Hammersteijn 1625 - 1675

This small portrait of Frederik Maurits van Hammersteijn is carved from wood. The portrait itself is rather diminutive, almost lost amidst the weaponry, armor, and heraldic symbols that surround it. But it is the skillful carving that commands our attention. The anonymous artist has masterfully rendered an incredible amount of fine detail in the wood. Consider the process: the patient removal of slivers, gradually coaxing form from a solid block. This was a slow, deliberate way of working. It speaks to a different kind of value than we associate with mass-produced items. The weaponry depicted alludes to valor and the traditional attributes of leadership. But the handcraft involved implies a different, more subtle form of power. The act of carving memorializes not only the sitter, but also the ethos of craft itself. It offers an alternative to industrial modes of production, one that foregrounds patience, skill, and individual expression.