Plaquette 17th century

This oval plaque was made by Jean Bellekin, sometime before his death in 1636. It's an engraving, meaning the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, with a tool called a burin. Ink was then applied to the plate, and then wiped off the surface, remaining only in the etched lines. The plate was then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The fine lines of the engraving, give the figure of a soldier smoking a pipe a remarkable sense of detail. Notice the textures, and the patterns on his garments, and the smoke curling upwards. This level of intricacy required immense skill and patience. Engravings like this were luxury objects, a demonstration of wealth and taste. They represent a convergence of skill, material, and social context, blurring any distinction between art and craft. This plaque reminds us that art is not just about the image, but also about the labor and materials that bring it into being.