Portret van de John Churchill, hertog van Marlborough 1708 - 1780

Curator: Before us we have an engraving dating from 1708 to 1780, attributed to Jacob Houbraken. It’s entitled “Portrait of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.” It’s a classic baroque portrait. What strikes you most immediately? Editor: The intricacy, surely? Look at how those curls have been rendered! One imagines the hours of labour both in the Duke’s morning toilette and in the artist’s workshop, painstakingly incising these delicate lines into the metal plate. This piece speaks volumes about status and access. Curator: Indeed. Consider also the symbolic weight. The oval frame, often seen as a symbol of intellect and refinement, and of course the Duke’s flamboyant wig speaks of authority, almost overwhelming the actual man himself. Editor: But where did the paper come from? And who did it employ to produce these prints en masse? An image like this would only serve a very limited aristocratic demographic, of course. We shouldn’t overlook the material culture behind such seemingly high-born items. Curator: Agreed, there’s definitely a hidden history of labor embedded in this seemingly straightforward portrait of power. What stories might it tell? His stance, perhaps deliberately nonchalant, seems intended to communicate not merely status, but a very cultivated world-weariness. Editor: It's also interesting to me to consider the original plate after its lifetime of reproductions; that would tell even further story. Curator: You're right; considering the journey this image has undertaken through material and cultural transformations opens so much to contemplate. Editor: Definitely something to remember. Curator: Agreed! Let’s move on to our next work.