Portret van Johann Gustav Reinbeck 1730

This is Martin Bernigeroth’s portrait of Johann Gustav Reinbeck, likely made in the early 1700s. It is an engraving, a printmaking process that demands meticulous labor. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines into a copper plate. Think about the sheer control required to create this image, line by line. The density of marks gives depth and tone, from the fine lines defining Reinbeck’s face to the heavier shading of his robe and wig. The whole thing would have been printed under great pressure, transferring the ink from the plate to paper. Engraving was central to the distribution of knowledge in the early modern period. It allowed images and texts to be reproduced and shared widely. Though seemingly distant from contemporary concerns, this portrait reminds us that all images are made, using specific tools, skills, and techniques, that give them social meaning. It challenges us to look beyond the surface and consider the labor and context embedded within.