Allegorisch portret van Lodewijk IX de Heilige 1790 - 1816

This is an allegorical portrait of Louis IX, or Saint Louis, made by Nicolas Ponce in the late 18th century. It’s an engraving, meaning that the design was carefully incised into a metal plate, inked, and then printed onto paper. The technique has a real impact on the final product. The lines are crisp and precise, and the image has a graphic quality. But this wasn’t just a reproductive medium. Engraving was also used for original compositions. Look closely, and you will see how Ponce has used a range of marks, from dense hatching to light stippling, to create a sense of depth and texture. Consider the labor involved in making this image. Every line had to be carefully cut by hand. Yet, it was a process that allowed for the relatively easy distribution of imagery in a time before photography. By understanding the material and the making, we can start to see the social and cultural significance of this print, beyond its immediate function as a portrait.