Schilder achter zijn ezel portretteert een man 1748

This print, made in 1748 by an anonymous engraver, presents an artist at work. Note the title: “The Art of Limning.” This word means to depict with care – and it also speaks to the material properties of the printing process itself. Engraving is an intaglio technique, meaning that an image is incised into a metal plate, and then filled with ink. This is then transferred to paper through a press, and the strong pressure involved leaves a slightly raised surface. This technique allows for incredible detail, as we can see in the textures of the sitters clothing, and the many portraits in the background. What’s interesting here is that engraving, while capable of capturing likeness, is also a medium of reproduction. These prints were made for commercial purposes, and we can see a range of social classes depicted. The artist’s labor is itself part of a wider system of production. So while “limning” suggests a kind of careful attention, the print complicates our understanding of what that could mean.