Portret van Carlo Luigi di Lorena 18th century

This print portrays Carlo Luigi di Lorena and was made by Giovanni Battista Bosio using etching. The linear quality of the image, and the fine detail achieved in the shadows, all speak to Bosio's mastery of this technique. Etching involves coating a metal plate with a waxy ground, drawing through it with a needle, and then submerging the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves that hold ink. This is then printed onto paper. This process, though indirect, allowed Bosio to create multiple impressions of the same image, which were then circulated among a wide audience, reinforcing Carlo Luigi di Lorena's status and influence. The print medium itself, therefore, is not just a means of representation but a tool of social production, enabling the distribution of power and ideology.