Portret van Pier Winsemius 1646

This is a portrait of Pier Winsemius, made by Jonas Suyderhoef. It's an engraving, meaning the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, then printed. Consider the labor involved: the engraver would need skill to translate the likeness of Winsemius into a network of precise lines. Look closely, and you can see how the varying density and direction of these lines create the illusion of light, shadow, and texture. The face, the folds of the ruff, the lettering - all are rendered through this painstaking process. Engravings like these were relatively reproducible, making them a crucial tool in the distribution of information and the construction of fame in the early modern period. So, while it may seem a world apart from our own digital image culture, this print shares a similar function: the careful construction and dissemination of a public persona. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images are the product of skilled labor, and embedded in broader systems of value and exchange.