Portret van Pedro Ronquillo Briceño 1679

Curator: Let's consider this engraving, "Portret van Pedro Ronquillo Briceño," made in 1679 by Herman Hendrik Quiter. It’s an intriguing portrait. Editor: Indeed! I noticed the incredible detail in the rendering of the lace collar and the flowing wig. What’s particularly interesting to you about this piece? Curator: Well, beyond the immediate visual, it is interesting to examine the print as a reproducible object, intended for wider circulation. Consider the materials used - the paper, the inks, and the metal plate from which this was etched. How do these material choices affect its value and its availability to different segments of 17th-century society? This wasn’t unique and was reproducible, so we must think about the socio-economic implications. It brings up a fundamental question: what transforms reproducible materials into ‘art’ and assigns it such high value, socially and economically? Editor: That's a very different angle than I initially considered, moving beyond aesthetics. Does the act of reproduction diminish the value or elevate it by making the image accessible? Curator: It's both, isn't it? It challenges the auratic status traditionally associated with singular art objects. By questioning the artwork’s relationship to labour and distribution, we reveal that “high art” is not separate from craft. Editor: So by understanding the labor and distribution, you provide it more nuance? It shifts our focus from merely admiring the subject of the portrait to understanding its role within a broader economic and social landscape. Curator: Precisely. We can look past the surface image, focusing on revealing production values, material qualities and consumption practices to understand the context. This helps us realize a different narrative, one that might otherwise remain obscured. Editor: I will never look at an engraving the same way! I can appreciate this work on more levels now, seeing the artwork not just as image, but material object embedded in a historical system of production. Curator: I agree, these layers invite reflection about production. And hopefully, it can expand that reflection in other areas too.