Portret van Peeter Baltens 1609

Lucas Kilian made this print of Peeter Baltens, the Antwerp painter and poet, sometime between 1579 and 1637. Prints like this one played an important role in the social life of artists in the early modern period. They were often commissioned by the sitter as a means of cementing their reputation among their peers and potential patrons. This image creates meaning through its use of visual codes: Baltens’ clothing, his bearing, and the Latin inscription all signal his status as a learned and accomplished man. Prints were particularly important in the Netherlands at this time. In the wake of the Reformation, the iconoclasm of the 16th century created a new set of challenges and opportunities for artists. The production of art shifted away from the church and toward the open market, and institutions such as the Guild of Saint Luke regulated the production and sale of art. To fully understand this print, one might consult archival records, guild documents, and other period sources. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context.