Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk (26th Earl of Arundel) c. 19th century

Editor: So this is Eduard Kretzschmar's "Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk (26th Earl of Arundel)." It's a print, and the detail is amazing. What strikes me is how it references older portraiture, but through a very different lens. What can you tell me about the image’s impact? Curator: Given its origins in a Van Dyck painting, this print circulates established imagery of nobility. The question becomes, how does its availability shape public perceptions of power and patronage in the 19th century? Consider the role of printed images in democratizing, or perhaps diluting, the aura of aristocracy. Editor: So, is it about accessibility changing the way people see the elite? Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to ask: who is consuming this image, and what meanings are they projecting onto it? Editor: Fascinating. It's not just about the Duke himself, but about the whole system of representation. Curator: Exactly. It makes you wonder about the power of the printing press.