Jacques-Nicolas Colbert 1673

This print of Jacques-Nicolas Colbert was made by Robert Nanteuil in the 17th century, using engraving. The seemingly simple portrait, set within a wreath of laurel, speaks volumes about the labor involved in its creation. Engraving is an intaglio process, meaning the image is incised into a surface – in this case, a copper plate. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to painstakingly carve lines into the metal. Ink is then forced into these lines, and the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Look closely, and you'll see the incredible detail Nanteuil achieved: the subtle gradations of tone in Colbert's face, the texture of his hair, and the crispness of the lettering. This wasn't just a technical exercise, it was a social one too. Printmaking in this era was tied to the rise of a mercantile economy and the need for duplication and dissemination of images and text. Nanteuil's skill reflects a mastery of craft elevated to the status of fine art, blurring those very boundaries.