Portret van Jacob George Jeronimo Hahn 1795

Charles Howard Hodges created this mezzotint portrait of Jacob George Jeronimo Hahn. The mezzotint technique involves preparing a copper plate by uniformly roughening the surface to create countless tiny dots that hold ink. The artist then works from dark to light, selectively burnishing or scraping away the texture to create smooth areas that will print lighter tones. Looking closely, you can see how Hodges manipulated the plate to achieve a full range of tones, from the velvety blacks of Hahn's coat to the soft, luminous highlights on his face. This painstaking process required immense skill and control, as each mark on the plate directly influenced the final image. The resulting print has a rich, tonal depth and a tactile quality that is quite different from a line engraving or etching. Consider the labor invested in producing such a refined image. This highlights how prints like this played a crucial role in disseminating images and information in a pre-photographic era. Appreciating the artistry and technique of mezzotint reminds us to value the human hand in the production of images, and the vital role of printmaking in society.