Plate from Funeral of Charles III of Lorraine 1575 - 1616

This print, made by Jacques Bellange, is a copperplate engraving showing the funeral procession of Charles III of Lorraine. Bellange worked with the intaglio process, where an image is incised into a plate, here made of copper, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The fineness of the lines depends on the engraver’s skill in using the burin – the tool used to cut into the metal. In this case, the labor involved is considerable: the density of the image, packed with horses and figures, shows Bellange's commitment to capturing the grand spectacle of the event. Engravings like this weren’t just art objects; they were powerful tools of political communication. This plate served to document and disseminate the image of the Lorraine court, solidifying its power through visual representation. Copperplate engraving was a relatively high-end medium, suggesting that this image was intended for circulation among an elite audience. It beautifully shows how printmaking can transform a fleeting moment into a lasting statement of power and status.