Earl of Essex on Horseback 1643

This print, depicting the Earl of Essex on horseback, was made by Wenceslaus Hollar. It is an etching, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate with acid, then printed. Look closely, and you’ll see the incredibly fine lines that create the portrait, the horse, and even the landscape behind. This was achieved through painstaking work, with the etcher carefully controlling the depth and direction of each line to create the illusion of volume and texture. The material of the print – paper and ink – might seem humble. Yet, the print medium was critical to disseminating information and projecting power in the 17th century. The Earl of Essex was a key figure in the English Civil War, and this print would have served as a form of propaganda, promoting his image as a strong and capable leader. The very act of its production and distribution reveals the close relationship between art, politics, and the technologies of the time.