Thomas, Cardinal Wolsey 1738

Curator: This is Jacobus Houbraken’s portrait of Thomas, Cardinal Wolsey, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's striking how Wolsey’s gaze seems both commanding and vulnerable, even though it is just an engraving. Curator: Indeed. Consider the process of creating such an image. Each line meticulously etched, demanding incredible precision, time, and skill. The engraving process itself speaks to the burgeoning print culture and the desire to disseminate images of power. Editor: And Wolsey's power was certainly complex, wasn’t it? Rising from humble origins to become one of the most influential figures in Henry VIII's court, only to fall dramatically from grace. This portrait becomes a site where we can examine the unstable nature of power and privilege in Tudor society. Curator: And the labor that went into producing portraits like this underscores that dissemination of power. Editor: Yes, and it gives us so much to consider even now. Curator: Absolutely. It is a good reminder of art's connection to broader histories.