Penning met portret van Johan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol, 1 november 1782 1782 - 1783

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this intriguing print from around 1782. It's a commemorative piece titled "Penning met portret van Johan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol, 1 november 1782," currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Leendert Brasser created this engraving on paper, using pen, and capturing something of a neoclassical spirit. What strikes you immediately about this particular historical depiction? Editor: Immediately, I’m drawn to the austere feeling of the whole piece. The muted palette and formal arrangement gives off a severe, classical impression, it is designed like a pendant of portraits, one of which commemorates a date and the other with what seem to be lines of celebratory text. There’s something almost ceremonial in its presentation, even if reproduced. Curator: I agree. Look at the careful etching. The crisp lines achieved through the engraving process create a starkness, perfectly fitting for the stoic image of Johan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol. But what about the specific choices of iconography here? How do these shapes communicate political memory? Editor: Well, it's pretty packed. Notice how the ribbons holding it all together feel somewhat decorative and celebratory, however restrained by the line work? Above Capellen's portrait we have more of this ornamental ribbon work, whereas the text at the bottom is given further importance, not just with the verse of words in support of freedom over tyranny but a war bonnet with tomahawks, bows and arrows! Very specific ideas here about an uprising! It's a careful layering of references that certainly resonate with the tumultuous period in Dutch history. The medium becomes a part of its message. Engraving makes mass production possible and with it, widespread dissemination of the depicted values. Curator: Precisely! The very choice of an easily reproducible print medium signals a desire for wide distribution of its political message, engaging everyday people as much as nobility and wealthy patrons. It shows the capacity for accessible production allowing such imagery to carry weight. I hadn’t even caught some of that weaponry… Editor: I find the combination particularly powerful. I will spend more time understanding the nuances of the work’s date – all these components come together in interesting way, the visual rhetoric employed offers something uniquely potent and of its time, don't you think? Curator: Absolutely. It's an embodiment of material and motif intersecting to further amplify their inherent strength, as such the symbols become culturally legible very easily and quickly. Well, that's definitely given me new avenues to consider regarding this artwork!