Portret van Roger Long 1769

This is Edward Fisher’s portrait of Roger Long, made as a mezzotint print in 1769. Mezzotint is an intaglio process, meaning that the image is incised into the printing plate, typically copper. The whole plate is roughened, then selectively burnished smooth to create the image. The velvety blacks are distinctive. In the 18th century, prints like this were a key part of visual culture, allowing images to circulate widely and be consumed at different social levels. Think of it as the social media of its day. The portrait itself is of a Cambridge professor, so we can assume it was intended for an educated audience – perhaps even for scientific use. The globe to Long’s right, and the lunar image in the background, point to the expanding field of astronomy. It's fascinating to think of the many hands involved in the making of an image like this. From the copper miner, to the printmaker, to the vendor and the eventual owner of the print, we are reminded that art never exists in a vacuum.