Portret van Johann Georg Duttlinger c. 1801 - 1815

This print, *Portret van Johann Georg Duttlinger*, was made by C. Kall using engraving techniques, likely on a copper plate. Look closely, and you can see how the engraver carefully incised lines into the metal, creating a dense network that describes the textures of the bishop’s robes. The material quality of the print itself - the thinness of the paper, the fineness of the lines - speaks to the skilled labor required to produce it. Engraving like this was a highly specialized craft, demanding years of training. The resulting prints had a wide circulation, and played a crucial role in disseminating images and ideas across Europe. Yet the names of the engravers, like Kall, are often less well-known than those of the artists who designed the original compositions. Considering the immense skill and time involved in creating an engraving like this, we are reminded of the frequently undervalued labor that underpins so much of visual culture. Recognizing this helps us to expand our understanding of art history beyond the cult of the individual genius.