Portret van Abraham Calovius op 31-jarige leeftijd 1643

Editor: This is a print from 1643, a portrait of Abraham Calovius at age 31, made by Johannes Hermann. The details achieved using engraving and ink are pretty incredible, but the somber mood makes me wonder, what do you notice about this piece? Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn to the process of its creation. This wasn't some fleeting sketch; engraving required immense skill and time. Consider the social context: prints like these were often commissioned. Who was Calovius, and who would want his image reproduced? That tells us something about the labor involved, the materiality of the ink and paper, and the social dynamics at play. What about the inscription at the bottom – who do you think Johan Laselis was, the ‘D et PP’ is very curious? Editor: Right, I didn’t consider who might buy something like this… it would have to be someone of relative stature to commission a portrait of this sort, even a print. Is the text there also indicative of how valuable the item was? Curator: Perhaps, the text, even in Hebrew, frames him as an erudite, and desirable, person of public character. The consumption of this image, especially as a mass-produced print, solidifies Calovius's position within a particular social stratum and reinforces the hierarchies of knowledge and power that defined 17th-century society. It makes us ask about what kind of labour underpinned it and what needs did it satisfy in contemporary audiences. Editor: I never thought about how choosing this medium would disseminate an image to reinforce power. Curator: Indeed. Every choice of material and process carries meaning, reflecting and shaping the world it inhabits. Editor: Thank you. It’s helpful to think of art this way. I will reflect further on its choices of production and impact!