Portret van Andrew Wilkinson 1755

James McArdell created this portrait of Andrew Wilkinson using the labor-intensive technique of mezzotint. It's a printmaking process that relies on the manipulation of tone, rather than line. The copper plate would first have been roughened with a tool called a rocker, creating a dense field of burrs that would hold ink. This labor would have been exhausting. The image is then created by selectively burnishing or scraping away the burr, creating smoother areas that print lighter. In this image, Wilkinson, a Navy man, is holding a rope, a crucial piece of maritime material culture. The ship in the background is a direct connection between the sitter, the rope, and the complex global trade networks of the 18th century. McArdell’s print makes visible the intensive labor required to produce even a single image, asking us to consider the full spectrum of work involved in making the British Empire run.