Portret van Theodor Körner 1846

This is a print, made by H. Gugeler, depicting Theodor Körner. The image is created with lines and dots etched into a metal plate, likely copper. The plate is then inked and pressed onto paper, resulting in the image we see. The fineness of the lines suggests a high degree of skill, requiring precise control of the burin, the tool used for engraving. The process of creating such a print is labor-intensive. Each line and dot represents a conscious decision and a physical action. This contrasts with the apparent ease with which the image is consumed, often as a mass-produced commodity. The print therefore embodies a tension between the individual craftsmanship involved in its making and its potential for mass distribution, a hallmark of industrial capitalism. Thinking about the material and the process shifts our understanding of the image, allowing us to appreciate the labor involved and its place within a broader social and economic context.