Portret van de natuurkundige Jacques Charles 1820

This is a portrait of the physicist Jacques Charles, made by Julien-Léopold Boilly using etching and engraving techniques. Look closely, and you'll notice the detailed lines that define Charles’s features and clothing. The engraver uses closely spaced lines to create darker tones, and more widely spaced lines for lighter areas, a process demanding incredible skill and precision. This labor-intensive process meant that prints like these were relatively expensive. Etching and engraving were key technologies for mass communication in the 18th and 19th centuries, allowing images to be reproduced and disseminated widely. This portrait would have circulated among educated elites, celebrating Charles's scientific achievements and contributing to his public image. The printmaking trades stand at an interesting intersection of craft and industry. It was a meticulous hand-made process, yet it also had a commercial dimension, serving the needs of a growing public sphere. Approaching this portrait with an eye to its making reminds us of the social and economic contexts that shaped even seemingly straightforward images.