Portret van Matthieu Lescot 1654

Jean Lenfant made this portrait of Matthieu Lescot, likely in 1674, using engraving techniques on paper. The appearance of this portrait relies on the way an engraver uses tools to cut lines into a metal plate, which then holds ink and transfers the image to paper. Look closely, and you’ll see that the tone is built up from many tiny, precise marks. This process demands meticulous skill, and the quality of the final print depends on the engraver’s control over line weight, density, and direction. Engraving, as a means of reproduction, allowed images to be disseminated widely during this period. So while portraits in oil paint were reserved for the wealthy, prints made art accessible to a broader audience. Lenfant's choice of engraving speaks to the democratizing power of reproducible media, and the value of skilled labor in bringing images to a wider public.