Portret van Cornelis Jacobsz. Drebbel 1821

Curator: This is "Portret van Cornelis Jacobsz. Drebbel," an engraving dating back to 1821. The print resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Right. My initial impression? Intimate, in a slightly severe way. Like catching a glimpse of a historical figure in his private thoughts, though I suppose most portraits have that. Curator: Absolutely. Portraits often present us with a curated glimpse into the lives and legacies of their subjects, so what interests me is how this particular depiction reinforces certain historical narratives. Cornelis Drebbel was a fascinating character – an inventor and alchemist in the court of James I, so it raises questions about representation and power dynamics. Who chooses which image endures, and what purpose does it serve? Editor: Oh, totally! It's that whole "history is written by the victors" thing, isn't it? Looking at this engraving, it feels deliberately… reserved. There's a softness implied, a little bit of whimsy in his eyes, I almost imagine him tinkering with some fantastical invention in a secret workshop. He’s framed so squarely; it makes you wonder about how much of his complexity, or anyone's for that matter, ever makes it into an artwork like this. Curator: Precisely. The decision to portray Drebbel in such a manner certainly shapes the narrative around his identity. And then you consider how the style contributes, you know? Engravings, prints were about reproducibility, making him accessible to a wider audience. It turns the individual into something more than, less than, a man. Editor: Hmm. A bit two-dimensional then? I can almost hear the scratching of the engraver's tools. Still, the light captures something about his inwardness… it’s hard to put into words. Something haunting lingers. Curator: That sense of presence, despite the physical distance of time and medium, underscores the lasting power that these representations hold over our perceptions of the past and prompts to continue questioning. Editor: In a strange way, I feel like it's given me license to start imagining him. Making up my own history for him. So maybe art isn't a door so much as an invitation. Curator: A portal to infinite narratives indeed! Thanks for that reading.