Pierre Gassendi 1658

Editor: Here we have Robert Nanteuil’s portrait of Pierre Gassendi. It seems to be an engraving, and I'm curious about the texture achieved through the lines. What can you tell me about this print? Curator: Well, let's think about the materials and process. Nanteuil, a master engraver, used a burin to meticulously carve lines into a copper plate. This subtractive process speaks to the controlled labor involved in creating multiples, disseminating Gassendi's image and ideas more broadly than a unique painted portrait ever could. Editor: So, the medium itself played a role in Gassendi's influence? Curator: Precisely. The choice of engraving, a reproducible medium, democratized access to Gassendi's likeness, intertwining the philosophical content with the material means of its distribution. The question then becomes, who had access to these prints and what impact did that have? Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn’t considered the social context of the material.