Portret van Auguste Joseph Biernaux by Joseph Schubert

Portret van Auguste Joseph Biernaux 1877

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print, engraving

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portrait

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pencil drawn

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print

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engraving

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realism

Dimensions: height 495 mm, width 353 mm

Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Curator: Well, hello there. We're looking at a fascinating piece today: a portrait of Auguste Joseph Biernaux created in 1877. This artwork is currently held in the Rijksmuseum, made through the meticulous technique of engraving, a type of printmaking. Editor: Wow, he looks pretty serious. You know, sometimes these formal portraits just feel so… bottled up. I wonder what he was really like behind that bow tie. The detail is incredible for an engraving though, you can almost feel the fabric of his coat. Curator: The formality is a definite product of its time, rooted in a specific societal structure where representation often served to reinforce social hierarchies. Men like Biernaux, judging from his attire and the commission of this portrait, likely held a position of some privilege. Editor: Exactly! Makes you wonder about access, doesn't it? Who gets remembered, and how? This guy looks pretty 'establishment,' let's say. But look closer—there's a bit of a twinkle in his eye, maybe? Or is that just wishful thinking on my part? Curator: It’s crucial to acknowledge that portraiture has historically been dominated by images of white, upper-class men. We must consider how these representations perpetuate certain power dynamics while marginalizing others. Considering identity and representation within historical contexts opens vital conversations about art's role in shaping societal narratives. Editor: True, and those narratives shape everything! Still, I like trying to find the human under the layers of expectation and class. Was he a kind boss? Did he secretly love terrible jokes? Art's more interesting if you bring a little 'what if' to it, you know? Thanks to his subtle facial features, his humanity peeks through despite it all. Curator: I concur; this artwork exemplifies a fascinating crossroads in our explorations of history, identity, and the narratives we perpetuate. Editor: Absolutely. Gives you a lot to chew on, doesn't it? Next artwork!

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