Henry Frederick Howard, 27th Earl of Arundel c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Pierre Lombart's portrait of Henry Frederick Howard, the 27th Earl of Arundel. The gleaming armor gives him an air of power and wealth. What strikes you about it? Curator: The engraving speaks volumes about the economics of portraiture. The labor involved in creating such a detailed print, intended for distribution, reveals a deliberate strategy for propagating Arundel’s image and, by extension, his power. Consider the cost of the materials, the engraver's time. It was a calculated investment. Editor: That makes sense! So the portrait itself is a form of material wealth? Curator: Precisely. The image is consumed, reproduced, and circulated, reinforcing social hierarchies. Editor: I never considered the economics behind a portrait before. Curator: Examining the means of production often reveals more than the subject alone.