Portret van Karel Alexander, hertog van Lotharingen 1740 - 1765

Curator: Up next we have an engraving dating from roughly 1740 to 1765, titled “Portret van Karel Alexander, hertog van Lotharingen.” It's currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: Oh, that's interesting. The detail is extraordinary, especially given its scale. There's something very...formal and stiff about the composition. Like it is upholding some kind of societal norm. Curator: The artist was Johann Wilhelm Stör, and as the title suggests, the subject is Charles Alexander, Duke of Lorraine. It exemplifies Baroque portraiture and really embodies history painting. There is almost something heroic about the figure portrayed, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. Looking at it through the lens of power structures, the armor isn't just functional; it's a symbol of authority. I wonder how the engraver negotiated their own position while depicting a figure of such elevated status? We can view this piece in relation to societal inequalities and class dynamics. Curator: It is intriguing how the armor takes up so much visual space in this artwork; even more prominent is the oval frame. The Baroque was very interested in decor, especially if you contrast it to Renaissance paintings where people stood alone. He is quite literally in a very ornate cage here. It must have been impossible to rebel when caged like this. Editor: Yes, and to consider what we inherit from these kinds of historical visual representations. The work serves as a reminder of the visual tools utilized to maintain these entrenched hierarchies that persist even now. Curator: Precisely. It’s funny—at first glance, the stiffness is the main feature, but once you know about this history it adds all this depth. I guess beauty is never innocent after all! Editor: Exactly. It really invites us to question the very nature of representation. Art that doesn't hold a mirror up to social constructs is useless for me. Curator: A fitting thought. Thank you for your insights!