Portret van predikant Esaias Dupré op 61-jarige leeftijd 1643

Editor: This is a portrait of Esaias Dupré at the age of 61, made in 1643 by Cornelis van Dalen I. It's an engraving and I'm struck by the incredible detail achieved with this method. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: I see the engraving not just as a portrait, but as a record of labour and skill. The fine lines, the way light and shadow are rendered… These speak to a significant investment of time and effort by the artist. It prompts questions about the economics of printmaking at the time, and who would have commissioned or purchased such a print. What social class or type of consumer was the target demographic, do you think? Editor: Presumably people of some means, maybe fellow clergymen or members of his congregation? I hadn’t thought about the economics of it though. Curator: Precisely. Consider also the materiality. Engraving requires specific tools, expertise in metalworking and printing. The quality of the paper matters too. How does understanding the technical aspects of its production change your appreciation? Editor: It makes me appreciate the skill involved even more, thinking about each individual line being carved into a plate, then transferred. It moves it away from just being a portrait and makes me consider the wider artisanal trades of the period. Curator: Exactly. The portrait becomes an artifact embedded in a web of production and consumption. Editor: This makes me view engravings in a whole new light, understanding their means of production, as a vital piece in accessing its cultural significance. Thanks! Curator: It was my pleasure, now think about all the other reproducible artwork being sold in the Netherlands at the time, a veritable explosion.