Princeps Marium Pictor Ludolphus Bakhuisen ita seipsum pinxit 

Curator: This rather grand affair is entitled "Princeps Marium Pictor Ludolphus Bakhuisen ita seipsum pinxit." The inscription tells us that Bakhuisen portrayed himself in 1682 at the age of 45 and again in 1707 when he was 75. Editor: Oh, it's a triple portrait then! And with such serious faces framed by those majestic wigs. They loom large against that backdrop of what appears to be a bustling harbor. I wonder, does the inclusion of his younger self function as a visual testament to aging and wisdom gained through years of artistic mastery? Curator: Precisely! Jan Stolker rendered this work in ink, specifically using the indian-ink medium. Stolker, who created this after Bakhuisen's passing, is cleverly reminding us that he was a famous marine painter by featuring a fleet of ships, probably Dutch, in the background. Editor: Marine painter... Hence the title referring to him as the Prince of Marine Painters! This theatrical mise-en-scène… three ages of man at sea! The table laden with artist tools in the foreground really sets a compelling, even symbolic stage. It's like he's navigating life’s currents as skillfully as he navigated the ocean waves onto canvas. Curator: I am struck by how this self-aggrandizing piece isn't necessarily off-putting but offers us a window into the artistic ego, or perhaps into the performance of identity. This print served as a eulogy to Ludolphus Bakhuisen following his death in 1709. Editor: Well, in that light, those stern faces are less ego and more a potent symbol of legacy—the artist, the sea, and the echoes of a life spent mastering both. I see this drawing more as a poignant memento mori. Curator: True. It’s a multi-layered commemoration, a reflection on time, talent, and the tides of artistic fashion, isn’t it? Editor: Definitely a conversation piece, far more engaging than your standard portrait, and that finality makes the image linger longer.