Portret van Ernst Wilhelm von Spörcken 1726

This is Christian Fritzsch’s ‘Portret van Ernst Wilhelm von Spörcken’, made as an engraving sometime before 1769. This print is a superb example of the engraver's skill, especially the mastery of line and tone needed to render details like the sitter’s armor and elaborate wig. The texture of the paper adds to the overall effect, creating a tactile quality that invites closer inspection. But we should also think about what this kind of image *did*. Prints like this helped to solidify social status. Consider the labor involved in their production – from the artist to the printer – and its ties to power. Aristocrats like Ernst Wilhelm von Spörcken became emblems of authority through widespread circulation. So, in looking at this portrait, we might consider how the tools and techniques of printmaking played a role in shaping perceptions of class and power, blurring the lines between art, craft, and social life.