A winged figure of Fame standing facing left and sounding a trumpet 1570 - 1615

Cherubino Alberti made this engraving of a winged figure of Fame, sometime between 1570 and 1615. Look closely, and you’ll see that the figure is rendered through fine, precise lines incised into a metal plate, likely copper. Engraving is an indirect process, quite different from drawing directly onto paper. Alberti would have used a tool called a burin to cut lines into the plate, creating grooves that hold ink. The plate is then wiped clean, forcing the ink to remain only in the incised lines. Finally, paper is pressed against the plate, transferring the image. The result is a print with a distinctive, sharp quality, thanks to the deliberate and controlled nature of the engraving process. The engraver's skill determined the final aesthetic, and their labor was essential to circulating images and ideas. In this context, printmaking was crucial for disseminating visual culture, contributing to the growth of knowledge and artistic exchange during the Renaissance.