Portret van Édouard Fétis 1872

Auguste Danse made this portrait of Édouard Fétis, likely during the late 19th century, using etching. The image presents Fétis, a prominent figure in Belgian musicology and librarianship, through the visual language of bourgeois respectability: formal attire, stern expression, and a meticulously rendered likeness intended to convey authority. Produced during a period of burgeoning national identity in Belgium, such portraits played a role in constructing a pantheon of cultural heroes. Danse's choice of etching as a medium is also telling. Favored for its capacity to reproduce images in multiples, etching facilitated the wider dissemination of Fétis's image, thus amplifying his cultural influence. The etching was likely commissioned and intended for display in a public institution such as a library. To fully understand this image, one might consult archives of cultural institutions, biographical accounts of Fétis, and studies of print culture in 19th-century Belgium. It’s through such research that we can truly appreciate the layers of meaning embedded within this seemingly straightforward portrait.