Portret van Justinus, graaf van Nassau 1840 - 1884

Jan Frederik Christiaan Reckleben created this portrait of Justinus, Count of Nassau, using etching and possibly some engraving. This printmaking technique is all about controlled lines and tonal values. Etching involves coating a metal plate with a waxy ground, then the artist scratches an image into the ground with a needle, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating recessed marks. Ink is applied to the plate, filling the etched lines. The surface is wiped clean, and the image is transferred to paper under high pressure. Engraving, on the other hand, requires cutting lines directly into the metal plate. The resulting print has a graphic quality, with a high level of detail that shows the subject's likeness but also the textures of his clothing. As a multiple, printmaking has always been a medium connected to social messaging, but it is the labor of the artist that creates such memorable images. With this portrait, Reckleben elevates printmaking as an art.