Portret van Johann Adam Steinmetz 1763

This is a portrait of Johann Adam Steinmetz, made by Johann David Schleuen, an artist working in the 18th century. It's an engraving, which means the image was carved into a metal plate, inked, and then printed onto paper. Engraving was a highly skilled, laborious process. Look closely, and you can see the fine lines that build up the image, creating areas of light and shadow. The engraver needed complete mastery of their tools to produce such detail, from the sitter's elaborate wig to the landscape in the background. This wasn’t just a technical feat; it was a commercial one too. Prints like these were part of a growing market for images, connecting artists to a wider audience. They speak to the rise of a consumer culture, where portraits weren't just for the elite, but available to a broader public. So, next time you see a print, consider the labour, skill, and social context embedded in its very making.