Portret van Friedrich Wilhelm III van Pruisen 1819 - 1911

Editor: Here we have Friedrich August Pflugfelder’s "Portret van Friedrich Wilhelm III van Pruisen," made sometime between 1819 and 1911. It’s a print, an engraving to be precise, and the level of detail achieved through this process is really striking. I wonder though, how should we think about a work like this? Curator: Well, let's start with the means of production. The fact that this is an engraving speaks volumes. Engraving was a laborious, highly skilled craft. Each line meticulously etched, the print produced in multiples, think about the intended audience. This isn't a unique oil painting for a palace, but a reproducible image intended for wider distribution. Who would have had access to this and what message was meant for them? Editor: That’s interesting, the means of production implying a specific intended audience... so the very materiality is key? Curator: Exactly! Think about the materials involved: the metal plate, the paper, the ink. The choice of engraving wasn't arbitrary; it was about communicating power through precision and accessibility. How does this interplay with what’s shown? Look closely at Wilhelm’s attire; every button, every medal—what do those signify, in relation to his power and influence? What social class has access to that attire or those honors? Editor: I see what you mean! The crisp lines, the regimented detail in his uniform—it reinforces this idea of structured authority but is now transferred from something precious and unique into many impressions to reinforce it among a particular social class? Curator: Precisely. And consider the social context, where images are deployed as propaganda, or tools of power that can be multiplied. So, what can we say, material considerations influence our perspective on power in this era. Editor: So, by examining the "how" it was made and "what" it's made of, it tells us something very interesting about "why" it was made. Fascinating. Thanks!