Portret van Franciscus Jacobus van Vree, bisschop van Haarlem 1853 - 1886

This is a portrait of Franciscus Jacobus van Vree, Bishop of Haarlem, made by Dirk Jurriaan Sluyter. It’s an engraving, a printmaking technique where the artist uses a tool to cut lines into a metal plate, which then holds ink and transfers the image to paper. Engraving demands precision, and this print captures fine details, like the lace on the Bishop’s robes, and the texture of the tablecloth. The social context here is interesting: printmaking allowed for the relatively quick reproduction of images, making them accessible to a wider audience. While oil painting was typically reserved for the elite, prints democratized portraiture. The Bishop’s status is apparent through his elaborate garments and pose, yet the print medium suggests a desire to circulate his image more broadly, intertwining religious authority with the burgeoning culture of mass media. In this way, the work offers a fascinating intersection of craft and social power.