Portret van Jacob Dirksz. Brouwer 1787

This is Reinier Vinkeles' engraving of Jacob Dirksz. Brouwer, made in the Netherlands in the late 18th or early 19th century. It's a portrait, and the frame suggests it was perhaps intended to be one of a series of similar prints. Vinkeles lived through a period of great change in Dutch history. The old Dutch Republic was overthrown by French revolutionaries, and replaced by a more centralised state. So Vinkeles would have been very aware of the political role of images. The print emulates the style of 17th century masters, referencing an earlier 'golden age' in Dutch art. The act of creating a portrait like this implies the sitter is someone important. Historians would need to consult archives and other sources to understand Jacob Dirksz. Brouwer's role in Dutch society, and perhaps explore the institutions that might have commissioned the portrait. In this way, we can learn about how artists negotiate the social and political world around them.