Portræt af Peter Frederik Suhm 1795

Gerhard Ludvig Lahde made this print of Peter Frederik Suhm using an engraving technique. The image gains its form through labor-intensive and exacting cuts on a metal plate, a process demanding skill and precision. Notice how each line has been carefully incised, creating a network of marks that define Suhm’s profile. The choice of engraving as a medium is itself significant. Prints like these were often made for circulation and distribution, tied to the rise of a merchant class and the need for standardized images. The making of this artwork involves craftsmanship, but also the mechanics of reproduction and commerce. By appreciating the material nature of the print, and the processes by which it was made, we can see how even a small portrait can offer insight into the social dynamics of its time, inviting us to look beyond traditional boundaries of art and craft.