Portret van wiskundige John Wallis 1737 - 1785

This portrait of mathematician John Wallis was made by Giovanni Battista Cipriani, who lived from 1766 to 1839. It's a print, an image made by pressing paper against an inked surface, likely a metal plate. Look closely, and you’ll see fine lines that create light and shadow, a testament to the engraver’s skill. Prints were ideal for circulating images widely and quickly, part of a burgeoning media landscape. Consider the labor involved: an artist creating the original image, a skilled engraver translating it to a plate, printers operating the press, and distributors getting the image to the public. Each of these steps depended on specific know-how and social networks. In the 18th and 19th centuries, prints like these democratized art, making images accessible beyond the elite. So, while this portrait commemorates an intellectual, it’s also a product of a complex, evolving system of production and consumption. Paying attention to these material and social factors enriches our understanding of the image itself.