Portret van Frans Koerten 1661

Theodor Matham created this portrait of Frans Koerten using engraving, a printmaking technique dependent on the skillful use of sharp tools to carve lines into a metal plate. Consider how Matham’s trained hand meticulously cut the metal plate to produce a wide range of light and shadow through delicate marks. The texture achieved allowed for the soft rendering of Koerten’s face and hair, contrasted with the stark lines defining his clothing. Each line involved physical labor, transforming the properties of the metal and turning it into an image. The processes used in the creation of this print would have involved a division of labor with specialized roles and skills essential to production. In doing so, Matham has immortalized Koerten, giving a face to a name through his masterful engagement with the material of the metal plate. This challenges the traditional hierarchy separating the skilled work of craft from the intellectual creativity of fine art.