Portret van Jean-Louis Baudelocque 1788 - 1790

Editor: Here we have Pieter de Mare’s portrait of Jean-Louis Baudelocque, an engraving dating from around 1788 to 1790, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It's amazing how much detail he achieved with such a stark medium. What’s your perspective on this piece? Curator: Well, considering it through a materialist lens, it's not just a portrait, but evidence of a complex production process. Think about the engraver: their tools, the copper plate, the ink, the paper. Each material shapes the final image, right? It is also a printed portrait, meant for wider distribution through the capitalist markets that would spread medical knowledge from centers of authority out into the wider public. Editor: That’s interesting. I never really considered the paper itself being a crucial component. How does the act of engraving and the creation of prints, relate to the artistic intention or the meaning behind the work? Curator: The print medium democratizes art, making it accessible beyond the wealthy elite. We have to consider the socio-economic implications here: Who was commissioning these portraits? Who was buying them? And what did that accessibility, and portability of medical experts mean for ideas around health? Editor: So, you're saying that the choice of print is not just practical, but inherently political, affecting its social reach and ultimately its cultural impact? Curator: Precisely! The materiality dictates circulation, shaping how information – and status – were disseminated at the time. This artwork reminds us that meaning is constructed not just by the image itself, but also the means of its production, consumption, and distribution. It breaks down these perceived notions of artistic uniqueness tied to individual genius, since multiple copies could be made of it through workshop methods. Editor: I’m starting to look at engravings, and prints in general, very differently. Considering the materials, and their production opens a new layer of appreciation. Curator: Indeed. By exploring art's materiality, we unveil its connection to the broader societal forces shaping artistic creation and consumption.