Portret van Willibrord 1630 - 1677

Adriaen Lommelin made this portrait of Willibrord sometime in the 17th century using engraving. The linear precision we see here comes from the sharp tools used to cut into a metal plate, which was then inked and printed. Consider the tremendous skill and labor involved in this method. Every line is a deliberate, physical act, building up the image through careful work. The contrasting tones come from the density and direction of these engraved lines. This highly skilled and specialized labor was essential to printmaking's function as a medium of information. And note how the materiality affects the subject of the image: Willibrord himself, rendered with such graphic clarity, becomes an icon, literally reproducible for mass consumption. This was vital to the spread of knowledge, but also to the structures of power and religious authority. So, next time you see a print, remember the complex relationship between material, making, and social context.