Portret van Ludwig Friedrich von Schmidt 1768 - 1817

This portrait of Ludwig Friedrich von Schmidt was made by Johann Heinrich Lips, using the intaglio printmaking technique known as etching. The etched line, so evident here, is not just a way of making an image; it’s a direct record of the artist's hand. The metal plate from which the print was taken would have been meticulously worked with acid, bitten away to leave recessed lines. Ink is then pressed into these lines, and the image transferred to paper under great pressure. The etcher isn’t just reproducing an image. The process becomes an integral part of the artwork’s message. Consider, for example, the intense labor and skill required to produce this print. It makes you think about the value of craftsmanship in a world increasingly dominated by mechanization. The choice of etching—a relatively accessible printmaking method—also speaks to the democratization of art in the 18th century. So next time you look at an artwork, remember to consider the materials and processes that brought it into being. It might just change the way you see it.