Kong Humble 1646

This engraving portrays King Humble of Denmark, and it was likely made to illustrate a book. The print was created by incising lines into a metal plate, covering it in ink, and then pressing paper against it with a rolling press. Look closely and you can see the fine hatching which builds up tone in the portrait. The process requires patience and skill. While this image is in a conventional portrait format, the printmaking process involved democratized images, making them available to a wider audience through a laborious, but ultimately scalable, production process. The creation of such images depended on specialized labor and trade networks, tying the artwork to wider social and economic structures. Appreciating the materiality and methods behind this engraving allows us to consider its historical context and cultural significance, moving beyond traditional notions of fine art.