Portret van Pieter Génard c. 1880

This is Jean Baptiste Pierre Michiels’ portrait of Pieter Génard. The fine lines and subtle gradations of tone suggest it was made with the technique of engraving, where an image is incised into a plate, likely copper, and then printed. The character of the drawing relies on the engraver’s skill in manipulating the burin, a specialized cutting tool, to create lines of varying depth and thickness. The crispness and detail that can be achieved are remarkable. Consider the labor-intensive nature of this process. The engraver would have needed not only artistic talent, but also patience and meticulousness to translate the original image into a print. Think of the time it must have taken to create the dense network of lines that define the form of Génard's face and clothing. This kind of printmaking was a key method of reproducing and disseminating images in the 19th century, playing a crucial role in shaping visual culture. Appreciating the work involved in its production allows us to look at the print in a different way, attentive to the engraver’s craft.