Portret van Petar Petrečič 1650

Curator: Welcome. Before us is Elias Widemann’s engraving, "Portret van Petar Petrečić", created around 1650. The work is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Immediately, I notice the crispness of the lines. It's incredible what could be achieved with engraving back then. Look at the layering; you can almost feel the texture of his beard and the formality of his garments. Curator: Yes, Widemann's technical skill is evident. Petar Petrečić was, at the time, the Bishop of Zagreb, which accounts for the sartorial signs of power, even the framing ovoid. What intrigues me, however, is the inscription; can you see it? 'Iustus absq(ue) terrore erit'... 'He will be just without terror.' Editor: The symbolic language of leadership. Even through this single material artefact –the engraving– a social role and an ideology are solidified. Curator: Indeed. And in a way, it speaks to a larger concern that remains relevant: the nature of just leadership, of faith and governance. Note the gaze, quite direct. There's something timeless about it. I wonder how many impressions Widemann produced of this particular portrait. Editor: Considering the social and religious relevance of portraits like this, along with their material endurance through distribution, they become vital carriers of institutional messaging, effectively propagating its symbols far beyond Zagreb itself. And of course, there's the practical purpose of making the Bishop visually recognisable. Curator: The weight of symbolism conveyed through repeatable impressions—transforming social identities through widespread representation. It serves not just as a portrait, but also an act of asserting identity and authority within the community and in the eye of history. Editor: This artwork stands as a fascinating artifact –a testimony to the intertwined nature of power, representation, and material practice. Curator: A mirror, if you will, reflecting enduring questions about the nature of influence and leadership.