Portret van een onbekende geestelijke 1735 - 1767

This is an engraving of an unknown cleric, made by Jacob Folkema in the 18th century. The image is meticulously worked in ink on paper, built from a dense fabric of tiny engraved lines. The image is achieved through an intense labor. Folkema would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines into a metal plate. This plate would then be inked and used to transfer the image onto paper. The linear quality of the print, and the way it renders shadow through hatching, all speak to this demanding process. Prints like this played a crucial role in disseminating images and ideas at the time. Think of them as the social media of their day – relatively affordable and portable, allowing for the circulation of portraits and other important imagery. The labor-intensive nature of engraving also speaks to the value placed on craftsmanship and precision during this period. This was a pre-photographic world, so the skills of an engraver like Folkema were in high demand.