Portret van Ahmed III 1670 - 1725

Editor: So, this is “Portret van Ahmed III,” made between 1670 and 1725 by Michiel van der Gucht, an engraving. The precision of the line work is quite striking. What stands out to you about it? Curator: Well, let’s consider the engraving process itself. Think about the tools, the labor involved in meticulously carving those lines into the metal plate. How does that impact the final product, the image we see? Editor: I hadn't considered that. The lines create light and shadow, but the sheer effort seems important too. Curator: Exactly. And what does the act of creating multiples – think of the printing press, its democratizing potential – say about the subject, Sultan Ahmed III? Is this about immortalizing power or disseminating an image for a broader audience? Who was buying this print, and what social function did it serve for them? Editor: It's interesting to think about the social context of owning a portrait of someone so distant and powerful. Was it about prestige, information, or something else? Curator: Think, too, about the materials – the paper, the ink, the metal. These aren't neutral; they carry their own histories, trade routes, and colonial implications. Where did the paper come from? What were the conditions of its production? Editor: I see what you mean. It makes the portrait less about Ahmed III as an individual, and more about the web of materials, labor, and exchange that produced his image. Curator: Precisely. It invites us to think about the complex social and material relations that are often obscured by traditional art historical approaches focused solely on aesthetics or biographical details. What was it worth, in comparison to cloth, food, or labor in the Netherlands? Editor: This has really opened my eyes to a completely different way of seeing this image – as a product of its time, shaped by so much more than just artistic intention. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: And hopefully you are keen to discover more of it!