Portretten van Bartholomeus Spranger, Cornelis Ketel en Paul Bril 1764

Jan l' Admiral created this print of Bartholomeus Spranger, Cornelis Ketel, and Paul Bril using etching, around the 18th century in the Netherlands. This image functions as a record and celebration of artistic accomplishment, referencing images of painters and their accomplishments in previous eras. The Netherlands was undergoing significant shifts in its artistic patronage and economy at this time, with the rise of the art market, making artists more dependent on the tastes of an expanding middle-class public. This print is a self-conscious work made in that environment. It's a reflection on the artistic achievements of the past, and the continuation of this legacy in the present, and the institutional context in which art is now made. To understand this work better, we can look at archival documents from the art market in the Netherlands during this period. We can consider other kinds of prints that document artists and their social context to see how the artistic profession presented itself to the wider world. Through historical study, we can deepen our understanding of art as contingent on its social and institutional context.