Fotoreproductie van een portret van John More door Hans Holbein before 1877

Curator: We’re looking at an old photogravure today at the Rijksmuseum, a reproduction of a portrait of John More. It's noted as being from before 1877. The original portrait? Attributed to Hans Holbein. Editor: Oh, it’s lovely. The reddish-brown monochrome gives it such a warm, nostalgic feel, doesn't it? Almost like looking at an antique memory. Curator: It does. I think that monochromatic choice emphasizes the texture; the fur collar practically leaps off the page. To me, it conjures the tangible richness of Renaissance portraiture. That luxurious trim suggests a status. Editor: Absolutely. The fur is interesting, but there is something in the face, something that is severe but kind. Fur robes signal wealth but this seems a deeper psychological symbol. The soft cap almost humanizes the look. What's the iconographic effect? Curator: Good question. Here you’re seeing a man positioned prominently as "Judge More." It connects directly back to his son's legacy and this image makes us consider what Sir Thomas More would think about a portrait so deeply rooted in familial history. Editor: Right! Family legacies were definitely currency back then – the images functioned almost as calling cards. It begs us to wonder about the expectations it laid out. But isn't it a little bit funny that what we're seeing is, in a way, a copy of a copy? It almost adds another layer to its history and meaning, right? Like a game of telephone across centuries. Curator: Absolutely. It challenges the idea of originality itself, blurring the lines between what is real and what is represented. The chain continues and you are a new part of it as an observer of this icon. I wonder how he’d like that. Editor: Food for thought, indeed. So much history embedded in what seems, at first glance, a simple portrait.