Portret van Theodorus Cornelis van Herzeele 1787

François Joseph Pfeiffer created this portrait of Theodorus Cornelis van Herzeele in 1787, using etching. The printmaking process starts with a metal plate, usually copper, coated with a waxy ground. The artist then scratches an image into this ground, exposing the metal, before submerging the plate in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. Ink is then applied to the etched lines, and the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Looking at the image, we might consider the amount of labour that has gone into this, not only by the artist in producing the etching, but also by the sitter, who has risen to the rank of Major. The labour and discipline required to climb to the rank of major is etched within the lines of the portrait. By understanding the material process and social context of production, we can interpret the work in a new light, understanding it not just as a portrait, but as a document of labour, class, and societal aspiration.