Portret van een onbekende man 1831 - 1890

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have an engraving, attributed to Jean Baptiste Pierre Michiels. This piece, simply titled "Portret van een onbekende man," is believed to have been created sometime between 1831 and 1890. Editor: Ooh, I find him intriguing! A bit stern, perhaps, but there's also a twinkle in his eye... or maybe that's just the monocle reflecting the light. Curator: Well, the monocle is definitely a key signifier. Historically, single-lens eyewear became a symbol of the upper class during the 19th century. Think about the associations it carries - authority, intellectualism, even a touch of aristocratic eccentricity. The monocle acts as a potent sign here. Editor: You're right! There is an air of scholarly distinction about him. Funny how something so small can communicate so much about one's status. But is he *really* an academic or is this just an aspiration or performance of that role? Maybe he borrowed that monocle? Curator: That's the enduring mystery with unknown portraiture, isn't it? His attire is quite considered, too: the precisely buttoned jacket, crisp collar, even that glint of a chain or medal. Michiels presents us with a man aware of his public image. The artist uses very precise lines; look at the shading of the face, for example. What does it remind you of? Editor: Hmmm...there's a precision in the detailing, that definitely pulls on feelings of 'importance', which also then pull up this strange little revolt in me. I want to know more! I see hints of academic painting or perhaps even historical painting, if this print aimed at a wider circulation to document or record some member of society? Curator: The engraving medium also lends itself to wider circulation and echoes of historical representation. Think of the role portrait engravings played in disseminating images of power and influence prior to photography. Each mark painstakingly etched; this is slow reproduction by contrast. Editor: Yes! I almost wonder what this 'unknown man' would make of how much attention is being paid to his face today. Maybe it would seem frivolous, maybe flattering. Either way, this glimpse feels precious now, doesn't it? Curator: It does indeed. It reminds us that the faces we see in the mirror and on our screens have ancestors in these quiet, meticulously rendered images. Editor: Beautifully put. It is like capturing a fleeting presence in these marks, this unknown man who is gone and has returned by chance.