Portret van Joost van den Vondel 1847 - 1883

Curator: This print is a portrait of Joost van den Vondel. It was created sometime between 1847 and 1883 by Frits Ohrloff and uses engraving as its primary medium. Editor: Gosh, it feels so... distant. He’s sitting on a tiny stool, kind of precarious, in the middle of a blooming picture frame, or an archway… is it meant to feel reverential? A little stiff? Curator: Well, consider that this image exists within a long lineage of historical representations. Vondel, a towering figure in Dutch literature, is deliberately framed to evoke a sense of national pride. Think of it in terms of performative nationhood—how individuals become symbols. The academic style lends him authority. Editor: Authority, sure, but at what cost? Doesn’t the engraving, all those meticulous lines, feel… confining? Where's the fire in the poet's eyes, you know? It's almost as if the frame and historical significance suffocate any sense of human spontaneity. Maybe it’s intentional, creating an icon instead of an accessible human being. Curator: But the intent matters. These portraits contributed to the construction of national identity, representing him in a way to align with national values and history painting which has become quite a prominent theme, particularly figuration during that time. To look critically also requires acknowledgement of these formative efforts, placing Vondel’s contribution centrally. Editor: I see that and appreciate the historical context that provides to the subject, it's the feeling that it conveys... something just makes it seem distant and untouchable in an isolating sense. Almost as if Vondel is now part of the history books as if his work isn't to be experienced... but academically understood. It lacks joy, it lacks accessibility! Curator: Ultimately, that tension highlights the complexity of portraying historical figures. We balance honouring legacy and risking sanitisation. Editor: Yeah, it’s definitely got me thinking about how we choose to remember – and who gets remembered!