Portret van Josias Ludwig Ernst Püttmann 1794

Curator: Here we have Karl August Brummer’s engraving, "Portret van Josias Ludwig Ernst Püttmann," created in 1794. I'm immediately struck by its air of reserved dignity. It's small, intimate almost, but there's a palpable sense of self-importance emanating from this Josias fellow. Editor: You're right; there's a certain austerity to it. That oval frame around the portrait adds to that sense, doesn't it? It's as if we're peeking at him through a looking glass into another time, solidifying his importance like an emblem on display. Curator: Precisely! And consider those sharp, precise lines, characteristic of neoclassical prints—no room for sentimentality here. It’s all about rational representation. Every detail of his attire and the meticulous rendering of his features exude that rational control and enlightenment ideals. He wears an order. An educated man, important perhaps? Editor: The order, the coat...they act as a type of heraldry, signifiers of his standing. It’s as much about announcing Püttmann’s place in society as it is about capturing his likeness. And the engraving allows for easy reproduction and dissemination, making his image known throughout a specific social sphere. The text below it makes the same impression on me: the enumeration of academic affiliations seems central to how he will be known to the beholder of this work. Curator: A canny observation, there. Do you feel that by the way the subject is set apart by his achievements it lends a modern quality to this 1794 piece? Perhaps it's even... satirical in some minor way? Editor: It treads the line, doesn’t it? Perhaps Brummer aimed to dissect this sense of self-importance even as he immortalized it. Either way, through sharp lines and considered presentation, this print really does tell a vivid story, no matter the intention behind its creation. What do you feel is Brummer's statement as an artist by engraving the man and his status? Curator: As someone making work and hoping for patronage, I feel he captured his spirit but in a light where anyone of any age could perhaps reflect themselves through his likeness, with all of it being wrapped in something visually striking as well as economical to produce as many prints as requested. Thanks for speaking to Brummer with me. Editor: A worthwhile chat! Now let's move on.