Portret van Camillus Pellegrinus 1749

Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by the meticulousness of this print; the dense hatching that gives shape to the portrait is really remarkable. Editor: I'd like to introduce our listeners to "Portret van Camillus Pellegrinus," an engraving created in 1749 by Ferdinando Strina. Pellegrinus, I gather from the text at the base, was notable as both a soldier and a writer. We're seeing a conscious presentation of civic virtue. Curator: And what is also worth noting is the means of its reproduction. Look closely and you see that the line work builds so much shading. Strina, like many printmakers, depended on very focused manual skill; he translated likeness, status, and more through the labor of the engraving. The act of production here signals much more than just the man represented. Editor: Absolutely. The very dissemination of his image points to a certain status, and perhaps, the desire for posterity. Consider that an engraving such as this would have had a specific function within 18th century Neapolitan society. How did such images help consolidate political or intellectual power? This image speaks volumes about how public figures were manufactured and circulated in that era. Curator: The tools—burins and so on—became instruments in the production of these powerful public figures. And they required so much practice, right? There was skill in how those tools were manipulated, knowledge of papers, inks. It's fascinating to look beyond just the "who" of Pellegrinus to really consider "how" he's being made to exist. Editor: That really enriches our understanding. In seeing the labor embedded in this engraving, we move from a passive reception of an image to a critical appreciation of the social and political forces that shaped its making, its consumption, its value, and, of course, our view of Pellegrinus, the man. Curator: Right, this brings to light the work it took to uphold reputation at this time. Editor: Precisely! This engraving functions not just as art, but as a record of social aspiration, almost like propaganda in its way.