Portret van Thomas Howard, graaf van Norfolk 1624 - 1630

Editor: This is Lucas Vorsterman I’s “Portret van Thomas Howard, graaf van Norfolk,” created between 1624 and 1630, a baroque engraving at the Rijksmuseum. It's striking how the detailed fur trim contrasts with the rather plain background. What does this portrait say to you? Curator: I see a representation of power inextricably linked to the fraught sociopolitical climate of its time. Howard's opulent attire speaks of his aristocratic privilege, a privilege built, in part, on the backs of a struggling populace. His stiff pose and gaze evoke the complexities of the English aristocracy during a time of religious and political turbulence. Editor: Religious turbulence? How so? Curator: The Reformation had reshaped England. The Howard family were prominent Catholics, navigating a landscape dominated by Protestant rulers. Portraits such as these served to solidify their legacy. But is this also an act of defiance in the face of societal pressure? It is important to also consider what these families might have experienced at that time, facing continuous pressures, political maneuvering, and the ever present threat to their status. Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered the tension between outward display and underlying vulnerability. The canes suddenly seem less like status symbols and more like something else. Curator: Precisely! What else might they represent? Consider the restrictions that class placed on them and the pressures from different groups of people. Editor: This print, seemingly straightforward, reveals how art embodies intricate power dynamics. I will never look at these kinds of portraits the same way again. Curator: It underscores how art serves not merely as a reflection, but as an active agent in the construction of historical narratives and identities. Thinking about it makes me look at the past and present in another light!