Portretten van Cleobulus en Periander Possibly 1610 - 1654

Editor: Here we have an engraving from possibly 1610 to 1654, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The title translates to "Portraits of Cleobulus and Periander." The stark contrast and line work give it such a serious tone, wouldn't you agree? How do you interpret this work? Curator: Looking at the materials and methods, consider how this print was created. The act of engraving involves skilled labor, transforming a metal plate through deliberate actions into a vehicle for reproducing these portraits. Think of the social context: these weren't original artworks meant for display. These images were likely mass-produced and consumed as part of a book, "Van de seven Wyisen der Griecken", democratizing access to knowledge about historical figures, right? Editor: So, you're saying the print isn’t valuable as fine art, but as a means of circulating information and potentially shaping perceptions of these historical figures? Curator: Precisely. The engraving’s value lies in its role within the production and consumption of knowledge. Each line etched by the artisan becomes a vehicle to spread potentially new values or perpetuate a vision. Do you notice the stylistic elements adopted for each historical figure and how they relate to perceived wisdom? Editor: Yes, Cleobulus is depicted with traditional scholarly presentation. Whereas Periander wears his official ornaments of command... Curator: Indeed. So, the value we can give this artwork today lies less on the final representation of those leaders, but on the labor of representing and broadcasting the idea of leadership, what do you think? Editor: That shifts my perspective completely. I was so focused on the figures themselves, I hadn't really considered the social implications of how these images were reproduced and distributed! Thank you.