Ruiterportret van Karel van Nassau-Usingen 1692 - 1739

This print of Charles of Nassau-Usingen on horseback was made by Louis Desplaces using engraving, a printmaking process with a rich history. Engraving is a labor-intensive intaglio process, where the artist uses a tool called a burin to cut lines into a metal plate. The plate is then inked, and the ink is held in these lines. When paper is pressed against the plate, it picks up the ink, transferring the image. Desplaces would have needed a high level of skill, taking years to master. The fine, precise lines create the details in the portrait, from the ornate costume to the horse's muscular form, and the formal garden setting. The process lends itself to detailed, reproducible images, which were in high demand at the time. Prints like this one were relatively affordable, allowing the wider dissemination of aristocratic portraiture. Ultimately, this artwork isn’t just a picture, but a record of skilled handwork, the history of printmaking, and the social context of its time.