Portret van Wilhelm, Graf von Slawata 1657 - 1720

This engraving of Wilhelm, Graf von Slawata, was made by Johann Alexander Böner in the late 17th or early 18th century. It’s a print, which means that it was made by cutting lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then running it through a press. The lines hold the ink and transfer the image to paper. Notice the incredible detail Böner achieved: the texture of Slawata’s clothing, the wisps of his mustache, the subtle shading of his face. All of this was created through painstaking labor. Engraving is a slow, meticulous process, requiring great skill and control. In its time, prints like this were not considered high art. They were a form of reproduction, a way to disseminate images widely and relatively cheaply. But today, we can appreciate the artistry and the sheer amount of work that went into making it. This little portrait offers a glimpse into the material culture of the past, and reminds us that even the most seemingly humble objects can be full of meaning.