Zelfportret van Joseph Hartogensis 1857

Editor: We are looking at Joseph Hartogensis’ self-portrait from 1857. It’s a small engraving on paper, currently at the Rijksmuseum. The detail achieved with simple lines really intrigues me. What catches your eye in this work? Curator: The real interest here lies in the *process* of engraving itself. This wasn't some spontaneous sketch; it was laboriously produced through skilled handiwork using specific tools and materials: metal plates, etching needles, and acid. Think about the economic and social context: Who had the time, resources, and training to produce and consume such an image? Editor: So you are focusing on the means of production and the societal aspects... Curator: Exactly. How the artist chooses to represent himself through this painstaking technique speaks volumes. The print, a medium for mass production, challenges traditional notions of the unique artwork. Is it not a sign of status and wealth, for both its creator and the owner? It brings attention to who controls these means. What kind of labour did this take and what message was the artist trying to put out? Editor: That’s a totally different way to look at it. I usually think of self-portraits in terms of the artist's intent or emotion. I guess the engraving process itself involved technical skills. Curator: Think about the consumption, too! Who was likely buying this? Other artists? Members of the bourgeoisie? That also shapes the cultural meaning of the image, and also contributes to a social stratification that existed at the time. Editor: It's amazing to consider the engraving as a manufactured object with socioeconomic implications rather than a pure expression of self. This deeper perspective has really changed my way of looking at the artwork. Thank you. Curator: Understanding art as embedded within systems of production and consumption brings greater meaning and allows us to really evaluate the object from a historical context. I am pleased you have taken that to heart!