Portret van Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon c. 1826

Henri Grevedon produced this portrait of Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon, likely in the early 19th century, using a printmaking technique. It is hard to ignore the inherent qualities of the printmaking process itself. Consider the labor involved in creating this image, from preparing the plate to the precise hand movements required for engraving, as well as the amount of work that this process demanded. Think of the ways in which the artist engaged with skilled traditions, and the way the artist expanded the boundaries of traditional art history. By focusing on the material, making, and historical context of this portrait, we challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.