Søren N. J. Bloch 1767 - 1824

This portrait of Søren N. J. Bloch was made by Andreas Flint, using engraving, at an unknown date. Consider the material of this artwork: an impression made with ink on paper, a relatively inexpensive substrate. The incised lines create tiny reservoirs for ink, and in turn, the image. This is a process of multiplication. Engravings like this one were the social media of their day. They allowed the dissemination of likeness, and ideas, to a wide audience. Look closely, and you'll notice the astonishing amount of labor involved. Every mark had to be carefully considered, laid down with precision. Note how the lines are denser in the darker areas, and sparser where Flint wanted to suggest the fall of light. Though it may seem worlds away from contemporary digital media, this engraving shares the same basic impulse: to circulate information and shape public perception.