Portret van Ferdinand van Beieren, aartsbisschop van Keulen 1633 - 1673

Curator: Here we have a fascinating engraving by Coenraet Waumans, created sometime between 1633 and 1673. It’s titled "Portret van Ferdinand van Beieren, aartsbisschop van Keulen," which translates to "Portrait of Ferdinand of Bavaria, Archbishop of Cologne." It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Oh, what a striking fellow! There's a formality, yes, but something about those eyes... they almost seem playful, despite all the regalia. The frame and crown behind him really boost the sense of weight and authority, I see a caricature with serious intent here. Curator: Absolutely. And it's all conveyed through the process of engraving. Think about it, the artist would have used tools to cut lines into a metal plate, which was then inked and pressed onto paper. That act of repetitive labour reflects the very structure of power Ferdinand inhabited, hierarchies literally etched into being. Editor: It makes you think about the choices involved. Why engraving? Was it simply the most accessible medium for disseminating images of important figures, a cost-effective strategy? Or was there something more symbolic to the reproducibility itself, a kind of claim on immortality through countless prints? Curator: Well, printing, engravings… These forms had incredible social reach during the Baroque period, a means to disseminate specific imagery and messages. This was mass production of imagery for a developing world. Here we see a fusion of history, material and accessibility meeting. Editor: It certainly gets you considering power, production, and the means by which an image of an individual gains authority. I mean, here we are centuries later, still debating this Archbishop! You feel his stare still. Curator: Indeed. The endurance of this image says a great deal about the intertwined nature of power and representation. An artifact shaped by its material and socioeconomic conditions yet speaking so vividly across time. Editor: And for me? It is a fascinating reminder that a picture is never 'just' a picture. This print is so suggestive! Now, who was this man really? Curator: A potent question, I think. Editor: Exactly, that is food for thought!