Portret van geleerde Stefano Sterponi 1755 - 1805

This portrait of Stefano Sterponi was made around 1800 by Gaetano Vascellini, using a printmaking technique. The image is made through a process of incising lines onto a metal plate, inking the plate, and then transferring the image onto paper. The fineness of the lines speaks to the engraver's skill, a craft tradition demanding years of training. But the print also reflects the burgeoning culture of Enlightenment Europe. Printmaking allowed for the relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images, connecting artists to the wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption, and the amount of work involved in the production process. Consider the labor involved: from the initial creation of the artwork to the printing process, the making of the paper, and the distribution of the final product. These processes imbue the artwork with social and cultural significance that challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft. The print becomes a potent symbol of knowledge, commerce, and the democratizing potential of the industrial age.