Portret van de jezuïet Claudius de Lingendes 1665

Curator: Before us, we have "Portret van de jezuïet Claudius de Lingendes," a 1665 engraving by Pieter van Schuppen, currently residing at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Ah, striking! My first thought drifts toward austerity...yet, also an intense kind of interiority. He's got that 'thousand-yard stare' even though he’s staring right back at me. It's that baroque seriousness, I suppose. Curator: Van Schuppen’s work really emphasizes the textures he can achieve through engraving. Notice the hatching, cross-hatching; see how it defines form, volume, and even light across Lingendes’ face and robes. It transforms a reproducible medium into something quite individual and skillful. The materials are humble but elevated through their manipulation. Editor: It does lend a certain richness, doesn't it? It's not just about recording likeness but trying to capture something of the spirit. And the oval frame gives it an intimate, jewel-like quality. Like a sacred object to be treasured. The details in the clothing's frills feel almost…decadent amidst all the austere linework. Curator: That tension is central to much Baroque art, the intersection of piety and worldly display. These portraits served as important markers of status and power, not just for the sitter but also reflecting the engraver’s market within print culture and art dissemination practices of the period. Who was commissioning, who was buying? These are central questions when analyzing engravings like this. Editor: Absolutely, and the lettering itself at the base adds another layer, transforming him almost instantly from subject to icon. His dates of birth and death memorialize, consecrate...It also grounds us; reminding us of the labor required to not just make art, but preserve memories. Curator: It’s an interesting insight into how we construct and perpetuate historical memory through material objects and cultural reproduction. Van Schuppen's craftsmanship gives presence to the past but also highlights how representation operates under very specific conditions and frameworks. Editor: Looking again, it almost seems Lingendes understands all of that as well. As if the weight of image making rests gently on his brow... It has been interesting reflecting together!