Alberto Durero c. 19th century

Curator: Before us we have "Alberto Durero" by Moritz Steinla, from the holdings of the Harvard Art Museums. It projects a distinct air of self-assuredness, doesn't it? Editor: Indeed. The carefully rendered clothing, the precise lines—it speaks to a rising merchant class eager to consume images affirming their status. Curator: The hat, certainly, carries a symbolic weight. It speaks of Dürer's travels and his self-fashioning as a citizen of the world. Editor: And the way Steinla meticulously recreates Dürer's likeness—it's a powerful statement on the value of craft and the labor involved in image-making during the period. Curator: I find myself considering the implications of reproducing Durer, not just as a man, but as a symbol of artistic integrity, across the centuries. Editor: And I'm left contemplating the socio-economic forces that allowed for and even encouraged the creation and dissemination of such images. Quite fascinating!