William III, King of England c. 1690s

This portrait of William III, King of England, was made by Pieter Schenk, a Dutch printmaker active around 1700. It’s a mezzotint, a printmaking process capable of rendering rich tonal gradations. Look closely, and you can see the texture created by thousands of tiny dots on the metal plate. This was achieved by roughening the plate with a tool called a rocker, before selectively burnishing areas to create lighter tones. The technique demanded tremendous patience and skill, a true labor of love. The very character of mezzotint – its dependence on laborious, painstaking processes – speaks to the social context of its production. During this period, the demand for luxury goods grew as the merchant class expanded and global trade intensified. This print, with its intricate detail and polished finish, reflects the era’s growing emphasis on refinement, status, and skillful production. Understanding the processes and materials used in the making of this print gives us a deeper appreciation of its meaning, connecting art with social and economic forces.