Rembrandt c. 19th century

Editor: This is Achille Louis Martinet’s "Rembrandt" from the Harvard Art Museums, a portrait. It's quite striking! I'm curious about the subject’s garb; what do you see in this piece? Curator: The armor and attire suggest a deliberate construction of identity. Consider the labor involved in producing such clothing, and the social status it implies. How does the materiality of these objects shape our understanding of Rembrandt, the artist, and Martinet, the engraver replicating the image? Editor: So, the choice of clothing becomes a commentary on social structure, as well as artistic creation itself? Curator: Precisely! It invites us to question the relationship between representation, labor, and the consumption of artistic imagery. It makes me wonder about the role of imitation in elevating craft to art. Editor: That's fascinating! I’ll never look at a portrait the same way again.