Portret van Nicolaus Wilhelm Beckers, Freiherr von Walhorn 1687

Editor: Here we have Johann Alexander Böner’s engraving from 1687, a portrait of Nicolaus Wilhelm Beckers, Freiherr von Walhorn, residing in the Rijksmuseum. The intricacy of the line work gives the portrait a surprisingly lifelike presence for a nearly three-and-a-half-century old print. What catches your eye? Curator: What seizes my gaze is the very palpable tension Böner manages to imbue within the frame – a delicate balance between Beckers' earthly status, so clearly defined by that ornate collar and the surrounding Latin text – “Literis et Armis / Pro Caesare ac Rege Catholico / Vincere aut mori”— and the very human visage, suggesting something more ephemeral. You see it too, don’t you? Editor: Yes, absolutely! The rigid formality almost feels like a mask, subtly undermined by the soft, almost melancholy expression. Did such portraits serve a specific function, beyond commemoration? Curator: In its era, it was pure Baroque theater! Here's a person whose life would, in large part, revolve around displays of power and devotion. Böner captures not just a man but a monument, meticulously constructed and instantly recognizable by his contemporaries. Notice how the column and drapery create a sort of theatrical stage. Yet the ephemerality peeks through – a reminder that even monuments crumble, eh? Editor: So, in essence, the engraving becomes a carefully crafted statement, revealing and concealing at the same time. Curator: Precisely. It reminds us that portraits are rarely, if ever, simple mirrors. Rather, they are like shimmering surfaces, showing us not just the face, but the values, ambitions, and carefully constructed stories a culture wants to tell itself. It's more dream than documentation. Editor: I’ll never look at a portrait the same way again!