Portret van de arts Jacob Roman 1670 - 1713

Editor: This is a portrait of the physician Jacob Roman, made sometime between 1670 and 1713 by Pieter Schenk. It's an engraving, so a print. I find it interesting how the textures of his hair and clothing seem so detailed for a print. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: What I notice is how the production of this engraving—the very process of multiplication and dissemination— speaks to the evolving role of the physician within Dutch society. We have here not simply an image, but a commodity, traded and consumed like other goods. Editor: A commodity? I see it more as a celebration of a person, an important member of society. Curator: But consider the materials, the labor: the copperplate, the ink, the press. Schenk's workshop becomes a factory, churning out images for a burgeoning middle class eager to associate themselves with status. And consider how the seemingly objective likeness is also a construction. Editor: So, you're saying it’s less about Dr. Roman the individual, and more about how his image was used and circulated? Curator: Exactly. The work becomes a tool for social climbing, a visual endorsement of the subject's worth circulated widely for maximum impact. Did the accessibility of these printed images challenge older systems of aristocratic patronage? Editor: That’s a point I hadn’t considered. So by analyzing the engraving’s creation, distribution, and how it functioned in society, we understand more about 17th and 18th century culture itself. Curator: Precisely. By understanding the physical properties of art, the production process and consumption, we uncover new truths. Editor: I definitely see how thinking about it in that way opens up a new level of understanding. Thanks!