Ruiterportret van John Ligonier 1760 - 1800

Edward Fisher created this mezzotint portrait of John Ligonier sometime in the late 18th century. Mezzotint, a printmaking process that relies on creating tone rather than line, was a popular process in England at the time. Here, we can consider the physical act of producing this image. The copper plate would have been roughened evenly with a tool called a rocker, then burnished and scraped to create the lighter areas of the image. This labor-intensive process, often collaborative, allowed for the mass production of images, democratizing art in a way. Yet, the very subject of this print, an aristocratic general, speaks to the social hierarchies of the time. The dark, velvety textures of the mezzotint beautifully capture the drama of the scene, but also remind us of the handwork involved in its creation. In thinking about materials, making, and context, we gain a deeper understanding of this artwork, transcending traditional boundaries between fine art and craft.