Portret van Gomana Girolama Monti 1763

Jacob Houbraken made this portrait of Gomana Girolama Monti as an engraving, sometime in the 18th century. Engraving is an intaglio process, meaning that the image is incised into a plate, usually copper. Think of it as a kind of drawing, but done with a special tool called a burin. The artist scrapes away tiny threads of metal, then inks the plate. The ink sits in those recessed lines, and when paper is pressed against the plate, the image is transferred. Houbraken was a master of this technique. You can see it in the fine lines that describe Monti's face, her elaborate dress, and the architectural surround. But look closely and you'll notice that while the engraving is precise, it also has a kind of softness, an almost painterly quality. This is what makes Houbraken's prints so special; he was able to combine technical skill with artistic sensitivity. Engraving requires enormous patience and precision. It’s a true craft, and it’s important to recognize the labor involved in producing images like this one.