Portret van Frederik I van Pruisen by Jacob Gole

Portret van Frederik I van Pruisen 1688 - 1724

0:00
0:00

print, engraving

# 

portrait

# 

pencil drawn

# 

baroque

# 

print

# 

old engraving style

# 

pencil drawing

# 

line

# 

history-painting

# 

engraving

Dimensions: height 267 mm, width 184 mm

Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Jacob Gole’s portrait of Frederick I of Prussia was made using engraving, a printmaking technique that demands precision. Gole would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines into a copper plate. This is laborious work. The depth and density of the lines determine the tonal range of the image, from light to dark. Think of how many tiny cuts it took to render the elaborate lace cravat, the flowing wig, and the king’s regal bearing. Engraving has a long history, arising from the metalworking trades. In Gole’s time, prints like this one were a key means of disseminating images and information, akin to today’s mass media. The very act of reproducing Frederick’s likeness speaks to his power and reach. Yet, we might also consider the labor involved in producing this image, and the skilled craftsmanship that often goes unacknowledged. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward portraits have a complex relationship to labor, politics, and consumption.

Show more

Comments

No comments

Be the first to comment and join the conversation on the ultimate creative platform.