Zelfportret 1852 - 1890

Editor: Here we have Willem Linnig's "Self-Portrait," made sometime between 1852 and 1890. It's an etching, so a print, and the level of detail he achieved is really impressive. What strikes you about it? Curator: I’m drawn to the labor inherent in printmaking. Think about the steps involved: the physical act of etching the plate, the controlled application of acid, the inking, and the final act of pressing the paper. Each stage necessitates specific skills and contributes to the final image. What does it suggest about artistic production in that period? Editor: It makes me think about accessibility. Prints allowed for wider distribution of images, right? Was that a conscious choice for Linnig, do you think, to make his work more accessible, or was it just about the process he enjoyed? Curator: That's the crucial question! Etching facilitated dissemination, challenging the uniqueness associated with painting, for example. But consider the social status of printmaking. Was it viewed as ‘lesser’ than painting, and how might Linnig have been positioned within that hierarchy? Were prints intended for a different kind of consumption than paintings? Editor: So it's not just about the image itself, but about the system that allows the image to be made and shared? I hadn’t thought of that before. It’s almost like he's not just presenting himself, but presenting a whole mode of production. Curator: Precisely! And remember, the materials themselves—the copper, the acid, the paper—all come from specific sources and are part of a larger economic network. Analyzing the artwork is about examining that network. Editor: That definitely gives me a lot to think about – the means of making something impacts how it is viewed and valued. Thanks!