Portret van Catharina Hooft met haar min 19th century

Johann Georg Hechler made this print, ‘Portret van Catharina Hooft met haar min’ using engraving techniques. Look closely, and you can see the fine lines that describe the sitters' faces, and also the rich fabric of the baby's dress, and the nurse's plain, dark garments. Engraving allowed for the precise reproduction of images, fulfilling a growing demand for portraiture among the middle classes. The textures of the clothing are particularly well rendered, almost as if Hechler was trying to evoke the feel and weight of the textiles. In this portrait, we see the sharp contrast in visual labor between the expensive detailing of the baby's clothing versus the nurse's modest attire. The baby's social status is clearly marked, literally woven into the fabric of her identity. So, next time you encounter a print, consider not only the image it conveys, but also the labour and social context embedded in its production.