Portret van Sigismund Friedrich Hermbstaedt 1780 - 1869

Curator: Ah, this engraving— "Portret van Sigismund Friedrich Hermbstaedt." Dates from 1780 to 1869, and it resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first impression? Austere. Like a man trapped in amber, or rather, on aged paper. There's a fragility and formality radiating from it, but those buttoned up jackets! Are you sure this isn't just from one day? Curator: Well, it’s quite special when you consider it's a print. The process of engraving involves incredible skill, meticulous detail. Think about the labor that goes into carving those lines, transferring an image so precisely. It challenges our typical notion of "original" art. Editor: Absolutely. And let's not forget the paper itself. Look closely—you see those foxing spots? They speak volumes about time, storage conditions, the physical journey of the object itself. It reminds us that art isn't just an ethereal idea, but something materially produced and vulnerable. It's about access too, isn't it? Engravings made portraits available to those who couldn't afford a painting. Curator: It's beautiful how these tiny details of deterioration actually add a layer of history, making this man’s likeness somehow more…tangible. Though in another sense the rigid formality also removes this person, turning him into some object of official record, especially combined with that careful engraving work. Editor: The inscription below the image cements that. A title, a function, a declaration of status— it turns a human face into something else, a signifier in a broader game of power and consumption. So who exactly *was* this Dr. Sigismund, I wonder? I almost feel as though his personality becomes immaterial here in the final version. Curator: A royal Prussian councilor, it says here! Now doesn’t that complete the story a bit? You sense that weight, that role. I love how the meticulous craftsmanship emphasizes both this weight, and a real physical lightness on the page, something easily missed. What stories are embedded in such careful artistry? Editor: Well said. It gives pause, doesn’t it, thinking about what survives, what gets replicated, and how material processes ultimately shape our understanding of individuals and eras. And for our listeners here today in the Rijksmuseum, I suggest really thinking about those little dots of deterioration on this page. Curator: Yes. A chance to reflect both on the artist's vision and labor, and on the curious afterlife of materials, memories, and even entire reputations.