Johan Arnold Zoutman (1724-93). Vice-admiraal c. 1780

This portrait of Johan Arnold Zoutman was rendered in pastel, at an unknown date, by an anonymous artist. Pastel is a notoriously fragile medium, composed of pure pigment ground into a chalky binder. The best examples have a glowing intensity, and it seems that is the effect intended here. The very fact that pastel was used in this portrait speaks to the kind of power that Zoutman held. The sitter's wealth would also have allowed him to sit patiently while the artist applied layer after layer of pigment, building up the likeness of the vice-admiral’s stern, slightly world-weary expression, and of course the trappings of his office. Materials, making, and context are key to understanding the full meaning of an artwork, allowing us to challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.