Portret van Jozef Klemens van Beieren 1690 - 1697

Editor: So, here we have a Baroque engraving, “Portret van Jozef Klemens van Beieren,” made between 1690 and 1697 by Leonhard Heckenauer. There's something a little severe about this formal portrait, even with all the Baroque embellishments. I feel the weight of history looking at it. What do you see in it? Curator: Oh, absolutely, the weight! It's more than just history, it’s a performance of power. Look at the intricate detail achieved through the engraving technique, it's meticulous, a labor of love…or perhaps, more accurately, a labor of duty. The curls, the ermine…it's all very deliberate, isn't it? It reminds me of royal portraiture designed to project a very specific image. And, dare I say, a rather controlled idea of what that portrait would then be selling the people who needed to view that portrait in precisely that prescribed manner. The Baroque loved these performative representations. What is missing from this image? Editor: Hmm, that’s a good question! Perhaps, the spontaneity of life? Or a hint of individual personality behind the trappings of status? It all feels staged. Curator: Exactly! The art of this era could seem as it's lacking warmth. In this era we get the explosion of Baroque style and we witness a political tool! Think about the purpose these images served: legitimizing power, constructing identity. It really becomes a very different image, doesn’t it? Editor: It does, viewing it as propaganda! I will certainly look at baroque art through a different, maybe more cynical lens. Curator: And hopefully a more questioning one! The joy of art history is the dance between what we see, and what was meant to be seen, isn’t it? A great experience looking together with you.