David George van Lennep (1712-97), Senior Merchant of the Dutch Factory at Smyrna, and his Wife and Children 1769 - 1771

Editor: Here we have Antoine de Favray’s, “David George van Lennep (1712-97), Senior Merchant of the Dutch Factory at Smyrna, and his Wife and Children”, painted between 1769 and 1771 using oil paint. The detail in the fabrics is amazing – how would you interpret the painting's focus on materiality? Curator: Indeed! Let's consider the materiality here not just as visual richness but as a statement about production and consumption. Notice the opulent clothing – silks, furs, ornate hats – what do these textiles suggest about global trade networks and Dutch economic power in Smyrna at the time? Editor: So the fabric isn't just for show, it’s about trade routes? Curator: Exactly. This family portrait becomes an index of the means of production. The materials signal Lennep's status as a merchant deeply involved in global exchange. The act of commissioning the painting itself represents another layer of consumption. Think about the labor required, from raw materials to the artist's hand, and the societal norms represented! How might you see these norms displayed here? Editor: I guess that the family’s formal arrangement and fine garments point to the traditional views on family at the time. The children’s elaborate costumes and toys show privilege too. But looking closer, is it only traditional, though? Like that hat is giving some personality… Curator: Precisely! There may also be subtle expressions of resistance or individual character embedded in this formal structure. It’s not a monolithic view; the materiality invites us to decode complex power dynamics and personal choices operating within a historical moment. What is the piece communicating? Editor: I hadn’t considered how much the materials themselves—paint, canvas, fabric—speak to global economies and societal norms. I’ll never see fabrics and decor the same way. Curator: And, with each artwork, the materiality tells us a new story about that era and its influence, so there is still a lot for both of us to learn!