Portret van Johan Georg IV van Saksen 1670 - 1713

Curator: Here we have "Portret van Johan Georg IV van Saksen," an engraving by Pieter Schenk dating from between 1670 and 1713, currently held in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Wow, it's a very stylized Baroque portrait, instantly commanding. The figure’s large, cascading wig contrasts dramatically with the cold, metallic armor. Curator: Absolutely, the textures are captivating, aren't they? Note how the artist captures the delicate rendering of Johan Georg's features despite the rigid formality of the presentation. There's a kind of vulnerability peeking through that Baroque opulence. Editor: I find the overall composition to be rather striking. The circular frame emphasizes the head and shoulders, but then the inscription spills out beneath, almost as if defying its containment. Do you feel it distracts from the image itself? Curator: It serves a clear function—to legitimize. It not only identifies him but lists all of his titles. But it's also there to provide the historical context. Remember, portraits in this era weren’t just likenesses, they were statements of power and status. It would have been quite important. The engraver also included a short laudatory verse below this identifying information, to really emphasize the patron’s accomplishments. Editor: It feels a bit like a proclamation, the way it anchors the bottom of the artwork. And that inscription at the top – *Nulli cesurus in armis*. "Second to none in arms." How bold, how telling about what Saxony valued. Curator: And a signifier of an artistic trend too! In many aristocratic and royal portraiture pieces, you may find symbolic indications such as heraldic attributes of an ancestral symbol in relation to the sitter or, perhaps, their motto, as exemplified here. I appreciate that you recognize those elements that allude to wealth, land, nobility, family history, all in this tiny little print. Editor: It really encapsulates the pomp of that era! I now wonder if I underestimated the amount of planning required to appreciate portraiture from this time! Thank you! Curator: Of course! Now off we go to our next great work!