Portret van sultan Selim I 1549 - 1575

Editor: Here we have an anonymous engraving from between 1549 and 1575, titled "Portret van sultan Selim I", or "Portrait of Sultan Selim I." The tight, almost scratchy lines of the engraving give it a sense of austere power. What can you tell us about this piece? Curator: Looking at this engraving through a materialist lens, I find the production process and its historical context fascinating. The act of engraving, a meticulous, labor-intensive craft, suggests a controlled dissemination of the Sultan's image. How does the choice of engraving, as opposed to other readily available artistic mediums, reflect the economic and social status associated with representation in this period? Editor: That's a very interesting point about engraving, particularly when considering how printmaking allowed for multiples. So was the intention behind this piece one of dissemination, or of reverence? Curator: Perhaps it was both. Consider the materials—the metal plate, the ink, the paper. Each carried its own value and was subject to economic forces. The accessibility offered by prints allowed wider circulation, shaping public perception of power through these reproduced images of Selim I. Could the print, in effect, transform the Sultan's power from one centered on military strength to also being about a manufactured representation consumable across different social strata? Editor: I had never thought about the implications behind print-making that way! Now I can’t stop considering how material limitations influenced artistic choices and subsequent social impact. Thanks for opening my eyes! Curator: My pleasure! Looking at art through the lens of its materials and production provides valuable insights into past societies. It really underscores how art is always intertwined with the material conditions of its time.