Portret van Johann Lorenz von Mosheim 1733

This print of Johann Lorenz von Mosheim was made by Christian Fritzsch, likely in the mid-18th century. It's an engraving, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. What's interesting is that engraving, while used for artistic expression, was also a crucial method for mass-producing images and texts at the time. This print, with its fine lines and detailed rendering, speaks to the engraver's skill, but it also hints at the rise of a visual culture driven by commercial interests. The act of engraving itself is labor-intensive, requiring precision and time. This contrasts with the proliferation of images that the printing press made possible, raising questions about the value of handcraft in an age of mechanical reproduction. As such, it straddles the line between craft and industry, reminding us that even seemingly straightforward images are embedded in complex social and economic relationships.