Ontwerp voor een mansportret in ovale omlijsting 1683 - 1733

This design for a man’s portrait in an oval frame was made in the 18th century by Bernard Picart using pen and gray ink, and gray wash. The drawing represents traditional skills and techniques for preparatory design, but also for a printmaking project that has strong ties with commerce. Picart applied the ink in fine lines, densely packed to build tone in areas of shadow, and more sparsely to suggest the contours of the face and wig. The ‘wash’ technique, using diluted ink to create translucent layers, is particularly effective in rendering the draped curtain above the portrait. The drawing is an intricate process with subtle details, that would later be translated into the more commercial medium of an engraving print. In the 1700s, engravings were a means of mass production. The drawing shows a moment in time when traditional artistic skills were being harnessed for the creation of reproducible images. The use of the engraving process highlights the transition from unique artworks to mass-produced images that could be widely distributed and consumed.