IJdelheid (Superbia) 1619 - 1675

Editor: Here we have Lucas Vorsterman’s "IJdelheid (Superbia)," created sometime between 1619 and 1675. It's an intaglio print, and I find the contrast created by the engraving quite striking. What do you make of this work? Curator: Well, given its medium and implied message against vanity, it compels us to think about consumption and production in the Dutch Golden Age. Notice how the labor-intensive process of creating this engraving becomes ironic, commenting on the labor this woman might be putting into maintaining appearances. The materiality of the print – the paper, the ink – points to a growing market for such moralizing images. Editor: That’s interesting, I hadn't considered the print as a commodity itself. But why focus on vanity specifically? Curator: Consider the historical context. The rising merchant class had new access to goods and fashion. This print implicates these new displays of wealth in debates about value and virtue. What do you think this engraving says about the social perception of women during the baroque period? Editor: It seems to portray an older woman engaging in the rituals of beauty typically associated with younger women. Perhaps it’s highlighting how vanity transcends age. But you’re saying it's also connected to a broader context of commerce? Curator: Precisely! Think about who would buy such an image. Is it simply a cautionary tale, or also a reflection of anxieties among certain classes about wealth? It complicates what we might initially see as straightforward. Editor: So it challenges simple ideas about “high art” versus mere craft through the social messages the art contains. Thanks, I hadn't considered how the material conditions shaped the image's message. Curator: Precisely! Paying close attention to materials and production helps to see complex societal dialogues unfold.