L. Jensen 1863

This print of L. Jensen was made by Adolph Lønborg using a method called steel engraving. The image is comprised of thousands of tiny lines and dots, all meticulously cut into a steel plate. Think about the labor involved. Engraving steel is slow, painstaking work, requiring incredible skill and control. The hardness of the material allows for very fine detail, capturing the sitter's likeness with precision. The matrix can also be used to create many impressions. The choice of steel suggests a connection to industry and mass production. Unlike traditional copper engravings, steel plates could withstand the pressure of printing far larger editions. This made images more widely accessible, part of a growing culture of visual communication in the 19th century. The print then, is not just a portrait, but also an artifact of industrial advancement, reflecting the changing relationship between art, labor, and technology.