Portret van Jan Egbert van Gorkum Possibly 1862 - 1867

Curator: Let's talk about this compelling portrait of Jan Egbert van Gorkum, possibly created between 1862 and 1867 by Johann Peter Berghaus. It resides here in the Rijksmuseum. It’s a print, made with graphite, likely an engraving, capturing van Gorkum in meticulous detail. What strikes you first about it? Editor: It's all that detail that draws me in—there is something kind of dreamlike about that level of attention. The man is all crisp authority from the decorations on his chest, with something softer lingering in his expression. Curator: The medium really allows for an interesting interplay. The choice of graphite allows the artist to achieve that sense of precision. But I wonder about the social context—who was Berghaus, and why immortalize Van Gorkum? What kind of statement does it make about the military, about power at the time? Editor: Maybe it’s a meditation on the nature of duty and position; there's a stoic quality, a weight suggested around the eyes. I keep circling back to the materials. How did the mechanical process of engraving shape the feel, the overall aura, of the print? Did the limitations offer interesting directions to Berghaus? Curator: Absolutely. And let's consider how that relates to printmaking more broadly—an artform intimately connected with reproducibility and accessibility. This print allowed the image of General Van Gorkum to circulate more widely. Editor: I can only guess, but something in me resists seeing it just as an act of reproducing military power; there seems an individual honesty fighting against the mechanical feel. Something both fleeting and lasting happening here in the marks, the layers, of graphite on paper. It is amazing! Curator: An insightful connection, truly. Examining this engraving gives us a lens through which to understand both artistic technique and social values. Editor: Yes, indeed! I'm so grateful. It feels almost alive, ready to spill a hidden tale.