Frederik Tutein 1845

Peter Gemzøe made this portrait of Frederik Tutein using engraving, a printmaking technique. The image is made of thousands of tiny lines cut into a metal plate, probably copper, which are then filled with ink and printed onto paper. The precision and detail required makes engraving a labor-intensive process, demanding exceptional skill and patience. Note the incredible rendering of Tutein’s face, the subtle gradations of light and shadow, and the texture of his clothing. The engraver had to translate tonal variation into a language of pure line, making countless decisions about the weight and direction of each mark. In Gemzøe’s time, such prints were a way of disseminating images widely, which speaks to broader social issues of communication and the circulation of knowledge. Although seemingly distant from our contemporary moment, we are also immersed in a culture of mass production and image consumption. This portrait reminds us of the human labor that underpins even the most seemingly simple images.