Portret van Johannes Schelhammer 1685

This portrait of Johannes Schelhammer was made by Johann Friedrich Bodecker, likely around 1678, and is a mezzotint – a printmaking process that relies on careful labor. Look closely, and you'll see the distinctive velvety texture. This comes from first roughening the entire copper plate with a tool called a rocker, creating thousands of tiny pits that would hold ink. The image is then created by selectively burnishing or scraping away these pits to varying degrees, allowing for different tones and shades. The labor-intensive process reflects the social standing of the sitter, Schelhammer, a prominent clergyman. The very act of creating this portrait was a marker of status, both for the subject and the artist, who had the skill to create it. It suggests a network of patronage and a society where carefully crafted images played a crucial role in establishing identity and reputation. So next time you see a print, remember the labor and the social world embedded in its making.