Portret van Jacobus Koning 1822 - 1845

This is an anonymous print of Jacobus Koning, now held at the Rijksmuseum. Without knowing the exact date of its making, it is difficult to assess the socio-political context of this portrait, but a number of things are still visible to us. The portrait's visual codes signal to us that Koning held a respected place in society. The work imitates the artifice and formality of painted portraits, indicating an attempt to associate Koning with the cultural elite. But there is a curious lack of information accompanying the print. The name of the artist, and the year of its making have been lost to us. Who was Koning, and why did he want his portrait distributed, but not widely enough to make this print a valuable or popular commodity? Research into archives of printed portraits, and studies of the printing trade in the Netherlands may shed more light on this peculiar piece of social history. The meaning of art is always contingent on its historical context.