Charles d'Hozier 1691

Editor: This is Gérard Edelinck's portrait of Charles d'Hozier. It's a very detailed print. The textures are captivating, especially the rendering of fabric and paper. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Considering Edelinck's process, the engraving tool itself dictates much. The material constraints of the copperplate and the labor involved in its production speak to the value placed on representation and its consumption by the elite. What do you make of his pose? Editor: I see it as a sign of wealth, an aristocratic ease. Curator: Exactly. The printed image, as a commodity, reinforces social hierarchies. The labor of its creation—the engraver’s skill, the paper maker's craft—contributes to the subject's prestige. Editor: So, it's not just the image, but the entire process of making it that matters. Curator: Precisely.