Portret van Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

Carel Lodewijk Dake created this print of Rembrandt van Rijn in the late 19th century using etching. The Netherlands, then as now, took pride in its artistic heritage. The Rijksmuseum, where this etching is housed, was founded to display that heritage, and it also represents the way artistic styles change over time. Here, Dake reproduces Rembrandt’s features in a modern style of draftsmanship. The image trades in Dutch pride. But this pride is not simply a given. It’s the product of institutions like the museum, of artistic training, and of cultural values about what makes the nation special. When we consider the social conditions of art, we can understand how the nation has been built, and how images play a part in it. By researching the history of the museum and the history of Dutch art education we can understand how this image came to be.