Portret van de schilder Johannes Lingelbach 1642 - 1698

Bernard Vaillant created this mezzotint portrait of the painter Johannes Lingelbach in the Dutch Republic sometime in the late 17th century. Lingelbach is shown half-length, behind what appears to be a window ledge. The visual codes tell us much about the social standing of artists at this time. The long hair, fashionable scarf, and velvet jacket all speak to Lingelbach’s status as a successful artist. More than that, the portrait itself, its creation and display, signals a growing recognition of the individual artist as a figure worthy of celebration. Here the artist is not simply a craftsman, but a personality. Understanding this image fully requires us to look into the archives of the art world at that time. We might research the institutions that supported artists like Lingelbach, as well as the market forces that shaped artistic production. By understanding the social and institutional context, we can interpret the meaning of this portrait as a reflection of the changing status of the artist in Dutch society.