Portret van Gottlieb Stolle 1700 - 1749

Curator: Just look at the intricate detailing on this print! This is a portrait of Gottlieb Stolle, made sometime between 1700 and 1749 by Johann Friedrich Rosbach. It's an intaglio print—an engraving, to be exact—currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Well, my first impression is how solemn he looks! He’s clutching his hands, staring intently… a bit like he knows all my secrets, or maybe judging my baroque art appreciation. And that wig, what’s the geometric relation to his overall pose? Curator: It’s baroque, darling; seriousness and splendor went hand-in-hand, right down to the wig's precise curls! But, seriously, notice how the lines of the engraving create texture, suggesting the velvet of his robe or the wisps of his hair? The details serve to render a very lifelike portrait of the sitter. Editor: Yes, and the framing, too. Look how the hard lines create almost a proscenium for him. It highlights, visually isolates him. Is that meant to convey authority? I suppose we see that throughout portraiture as a statement about position. It appears formulaic here, doesn’t it? Curator: Perhaps, but consider that Gottlieb Stolle was a professor. It emphasizes the formal nature of this representation. The engraver makes his status as clear as that heavy wig. Also, it is an incredibly effective way of suggesting character. Editor: That’s true. It gives a very grounded feel and evokes that sensibility so clearly through its composition. Still, the engraver manages to soften that rigidness ever so slightly, look how the curves of his posture create dynamism! Curator: And for all that formality, look at the hands—knobbly, real. There's a quiet human presence here. Maybe that's where the judging gaze comes from. Editor: You're right, there's definitely a personal narrative peeking through those precise lines. Curator: I think after our little exploration I see now both Stolle, the academic, and Stolle, the individual a little clearer. Editor: Yes! Perhaps the goal of portraiture is as much about being truthful about your subject as creating this air of status around them, after all.