Jørgen Seefeld 1655 - 1659

Curator: Look at this intriguing print, made between 1655 and 1659. It depicts Jørgen Seefeld and is currently housed here at the SMK. It’s by Albert Haelwegh, a master of his craft, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Oh, he certainly knew how to handle his materials! The stark contrast gives it such a dramatic weight. It’s a study in how varying pressure and ink yield such remarkable tonality. One can almost feel the plate after it has been bitten by acid. I'm thinking aquatint and etching processes maybe? Curator: The details are astonishing, from the folds in his attire to the wisps of his hair. It seems to me that this is a man carrying both power and secrets within. Editor: Absolutely. And if you consider the time this piece was created - such skills in production, engraving these details with such care—it was definitely communicating power but also demonstrating the access the artist had to the means of representing that power. A single print could circulate an image of a leader broadly and powerfully! The type and composition here is saying, "Pay Attention, Obey". Curator: Yes, absolutely. This feels almost like peering into the soul of a man from a bygone era, doesn't it? It makes me ponder on temporality and representation. It feels incredibly moving to witness an interpretation of what was at the core of him! Editor: For me, it’s equally compelling to contemplate what has physically endured through the printing materials— the plate, the ink, the paper – the very tangible process of replication. And the hands, the artisanal hands that shaped all of these aspects into a communicable thing. A fascinating interplay of permanence and change across the years. Curator: Well, this exploration makes me appreciate Haelwegh's effort even more. Such a compelling portrait captures the weight and impermanence that haunts even the mightiest figures, as it continues to resonate even today. Editor: And to think how easily a tool in artistic hands, the printing press in this case, can distribute messages, shape power and outlast us all… Quite the compelling paradox when you truly dive in.