Portret van Johann Friedrich Polack 1755

Editor: So, this is “Portret van Johann Friedrich Polack,” an engraving made in 1755 by Johann Christian Gottfried Fritzsch, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It's strikingly formal, almost theatrical, with that elaborate frame and the sitter's powdered wig. What leaps out at you when you look at it? Curator: The wig, definitely! It’s like a sculpted cloud, framing a face that seems both intelligent and faintly amused. Beyond the fashion, which screams “Baroque exuberance,” I'm drawn to the way Fritzsch used the engraving technique. It's incredibly detailed. It almost feels photographic. Notice the varying densities of lines—they give real weight to Polack’s figure. There is a wonderful softness to it. What do you make of the book and quill, framing the piece on either side of the man? Editor: Good question. It highlights his education or profession, maybe? Curator: Precisely. These symbolic objects aren’t just props. They're tools that communicate Polack's identity, announcing his place in society as a scholar, perhaps a jurist or mathematician given his book seems of those disciplines. It's like the 18th-century equivalent of a LinkedIn profile picture, but with more powdered wig. The inscription provides an elegant description. Also consider the "old engraving style," which emphasizes this piece's historic setting. Are there any elements that resonate particularly for you? Editor: It's amazing how much personality Fritzsch conveys with just lines. And the wig really *is* something else. Curator: Right? This portrait encapsulates a very specific time, doesn't it? It is both grand and yet surprisingly intimate. A whisper from the past. Editor: Definitely a fascinating blend of art and history, presented with incredible craft. I'll never look at a wig the same way again.