Efteråret. Portræt af Simon Paullis hustru, Elisabeth Fabricius 1648

Curator: Here we have Albert Haelwegh’s "Efteråret. Portræt af Simon Paullis hustru, Elisabeth Fabricius," made in 1648. It’s an engraving, a print, depicting a portrait within a broader landscape. Editor: My initial impression is of a scene both intimate and rigidly formal. There’s a curious tension between the carefully etched lines and the bucolic, pastoral imagery. Curator: Indeed. Haelwegh was a master of imbuing symbolic weight into his portraits. Elisabeth Fabricius, the wife of a prominent figure, is shown during the Autumn season. Above the image, he integrates signs of the Zodiac – Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius – all associated with this time of year. Editor: As an engraving, the artist meticulously carved into a metal plate. Think of the hours of labour required to render such precise detail – the tiny lines that build form and texture, and how this contrasts the harvesting activities in the background, hinting at different types of seasonal labour. Curator: Precisely. And note the loaded symbolism: Elisabeth plucks fruit from the tree – a clear visual metaphor alluding to abundance, harvest, and by extension, prosperity. Her hand gesture presents, while the boy gathers. Editor: It’s interesting how printmaking allowed for a wider dissemination of portraits like this, connecting it to networks of trade and exchange. And the formal presentation becomes crucial – constructing status and conveying messages to a broader audience. Curator: Absolutely. Consider, too, the specific placement of elements, such as Zodiac signs. Autumn, of course, carries layers of meaning – a period of completion, and transition. It hints at the cycles of life and mortality, but also, perhaps, at the continuation of legacy. Editor: Right, that sense of legacy is enforced materially, in its own longevity as a durable multiple: each print continues to carry its weight over time. Curator: Examining this image closely has me reflecting on how cultural memories are intertwined within even seemingly straightforward depictions of domestic life. Editor: I find myself contemplating the artist’s labor, its translation into an enduring material form, and how its meaning evolved over time, with each impression striking.