Portret van Johann Jahn 1790 - 1811

Editor: This is a portrait of Johann Jahn, made between 1790 and 1811 by Paul Johann Weindl. It’s an engraving, and there’s something quite academic about it, between the subject and the symbols that surround him. How do you see this piece, from your perspective? Curator: As a materialist, I see the engraving less as a window onto Jahn's soul and more as a product of specific labor and materials. The very process of engraving—the precise cutting of lines into a metal plate, the inking, the pressing onto paper—tells a story. Who made the paper? Where did the ink come from? Who was Weindl, and what were his social and economic circumstances? Editor: So, you’re interested in the story of how this print came to exist. Curator: Exactly! Consider the intended audience. Prints like these circulated widely, making knowledge and images accessible to a growing literate population. It speaks to the burgeoning culture of scholarship and the increasing importance of disseminating ideas through reproducible images. Editor: That makes me think about how portraiture was evolving as a commercial endeavor. Curator: Indeed. Prints offered a way to make portraits more widely available. Also, look at the symbolic tools represented; the books, globe, writing implements, the portrait itself; how did this selection define who he was and what society wanted him to represent? Editor: So, it's not just about the individual but about the network of production and consumption that the engraving represents. Curator: Precisely. By focusing on the materials and methods, we can understand the social forces shaping both the art and the subject. I find that infinitely more interesting. Editor: It’s fascinating to think about this portrait as part of a bigger world of making and consuming. Thanks for highlighting that!