Reproductie van een gravure van een portret van Adam van Noort door Anthony van Dyck before 1877

Joseph Maes made this reproduction of an engraving of a portrait of Adam van Noort. Van Noort lived in Antwerp in the 16th and 17th century. Prints like this circulated widely and were important for establishing an artist's reputation, and for disseminating styles and techniques. Looking at this print, we might ask, what is the politics of imagery in Antwerp at this time? In the 17th century, Antwerp was part of the Spanish Netherlands and a major center for art production. Portraits were important status symbols for the bourgeoisie, but also a means of establishing the cultural dominance of the elite. We can research the history of Antwerp academies and workshops to learn more about how artists gained status and what purposes art was made to serve. Prints like this help us understand how artistic fame is constructed through institutions like art markets and academies. The historian looks into those institutions. The meaning of art always depends on its social and institutional context.