Portret van Henry Howard, graaf van Surrey 1741 - 1743

Editor: So, this is "Portret van Henry Howard, graaf van Surrey," a print made by Jacob Houbraken between 1741 and 1743, currently at the Rijksmuseum. It's incredibly detailed. It has a formality and decorum to it. How would you interpret the significance of this portrait in its historical context? Curator: Well, prints like these, especially of historical figures, circulated widely in the 18th century. They were instrumental in shaping public perception of the past. Think about the role of the printing press here. How accessible do you think this image would have been, and who might have seen it? Editor: I imagine it would have been available to the educated elite, displayed in libraries or studies, not exactly mass-produced. Curator: Precisely. And who was Henry Howard, the Earl of Surrey? Editor: Wasn't he a poet and courtier from the Tudor period, executed by Henry VIII? Curator: Yes. This image is therefore a recreation of someone from the past. What does that choice suggest about the priorities and historical consciousness of the patrons, artists and the wider population in the 18th century? Editor: It points to a fascination with the past, possibly an attempt to legitimize their own era by connecting to powerful historical figures, almost as if creating a genealogy of power. Curator: Exactly. And notice how the print itself, through its ornamentation, elevates the subject. This wasn't just about depicting a person, but about constructing a visual narrative. The formal setting speaks to the image that those with wealth and social position want to create of themselves for the general public. Editor: That’s fascinating! It reframes the artwork from a simple portrait to a calculated form of historical storytelling and social positioning. Curator: Absolutely. It makes you think about who gets remembered, and how they are presented to us.