Portret van Gotthold Emanuel Friedrich Seidel 1807

Editor: Here we have Leonhard Heinrich Hessell's 1807 engraving, "Portret van Gotthold Emanuel Friedrich Seidel." The neoclassical style feels very reserved and proper. I'm curious, what do you see in this piece beyond the obvious portraiture? Curator: Beyond the formal representation of Seidel, I see a reflection of power structures at play during that era. Neoclassical portraiture often served to legitimize the status quo. Think about the French Revolution ending just years before this artwork was made. Editor: So, you’re saying it’s not just a neutral depiction, but a statement? Curator: Precisely. Consider the subject's profession—a Deacon. How does situating the image in the religious landscape of the time shape our understanding? How was religious authority used and portrayed during a period defined by immense social transformation and revolution? Editor: That makes me think about the clothing, that very high, stiff collar. Curator: Indeed. The clothing reinforces this message of order and hierarchy. Ask yourself, who does it include, and more importantly, who does it exclude? Editor: It makes me think of all the people not in positions of power or being represented at the time. It really highlights the limits of the neoclassical ideal. I didn't think about how those details were reinforcing power. Curator: And by recognizing that, we can engage more critically with its lasting impact and challenge the narratives it presents as objective. It offers valuable insights into understanding the visual strategies that historically perpetuated dominant ideologies. Editor: It gives a lot more context than the piece suggests on its surface, I really learned a lot.