Portret van Hans Rudolf Sager 1740

Johann Ludwig Nöhtiger made this portrait of Hans Rudolf Sager, Consul of the Republic, likely with etching and engraving. Look closely, and you’ll notice that the material handling is more than mere reproduction. See how the engraved lines don’t just describe Sager's features, but also evoke the textures of his garments? The velvety pile of his hat, the plush fur stole, the glint of his jewelry – each is carefully rendered, conveying Sager’s status and wealth. There's a density to the man, conjured by the artist's mark making. The techniques, traditionally associated with printmaking, here aspire to the painterly. This reminds us that all art is made by human hands, and with specific social and cultural intentions. Even in a so-called ‘fine art’ like portraiture, the quality of making matters deeply. It carries meaning, just as much as the subject matter itself.