Portret van sir Thomas More 1740

Jacob Houbraken created this portrait of Sir Thomas More using engraving, a printmaking technique, sometime before 1780. Engraving involves meticulously incising lines into a metal plate, typically copper, with a tool called a burin. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the engraved lines. When paper is pressed against the plate, the image transfers, resulting in a print with crisp, precise lines. Consider the immense labor that went into this image. Houbraken had to be a master draughtsman, and also possess the physical strength and skill to manipulate the burin with absolute control. The fine details of More's fur-trimmed robes, his facial features, and the surrounding architectural elements, all testify to Houbraken's expertise. Engravings like these were part of a booming print market, satisfying a growing demand for portraits and other images. While we might think of printmaking as a relatively democratic art form, the labor involved, and the level of skill required, meant that finely worked images like this one were still luxury goods.