Portret van David Höschel op 48-jarige leeftijd 1604 - 1615

Editor: This is a fascinating print by Lucas Kilian, dating from sometime between 1604 and 1615, entitled "Portret van David H\u00f6schel op 48-jarige leeftijd", so Portrait of David H\u00f6schel at 48 years of age. The level of detail achieved through engraving is striking. What stands out to you about this piece, particularly thinking about its original context? Curator: The method of production speaks volumes. Look at the materials: the paper, the ink, the metal plate used for the engraving. These materials weren't cheap, hinting at the social status of both the sitter and the audience for whom this image was made. Think of the labor involved in creating the matrix. Each line etched by hand using specialized tools, the skilled work reflected the value attributed to this portrait, and this person. Was it a singular work, or reproduced many times? Editor: Presumably reproduced if it's an engraving? I hadn't thought of it in terms of production volume affecting status. Curator: Exactly. And consider where this print might have circulated. Was it bound into a book, traded amongst scholars, or displayed prominently? Its consumption speaks volumes about the culture of the time and how people gained social currency. Moreover, someone had to pay Kilian to create this. Editor: That is fascinating! I'd primarily been considering the artistry. It never really occurred to me to dig into all these aspects surrounding the image itself. Curator: Indeed. Materiality provides a lens through which we understand the power dynamics and the economy of artistic production in the early 17th century.