Visitekaartje van Frans Buffa en zonen 1830 - 1854

Henricus Wilhelmus Couwenberg made this calling card for Frans Buffa en Zonen, likely in the Netherlands during the first half of the 19th century. It was printed as an intaglio. The calling card tells us about the social and institutional world of art in the Netherlands at that time. The card imitates a royal crest, with lions and a crown and the phrase 'Je Maintiendrai' to signal status and prestige. The Buffa firm were publishers and sellers of prints and 'objets d'art'. This image shows us that they were consciously linking themselves to the tradition of fine art and to the monarchy. The phrase 'Fournisseurs du Cabinet de S.M. le Roi des Pays-Bas' which means 'Supplier to the cabinet of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands' confirms this. By studying archives from the period, such as business records, newspapers, and exhibition catalogs, we can learn more about the role of art and commerce in 19th-century Netherlands. These resources help us understand how institutions shape artistic taste and the circulation of images.