Portret van kardinaal Antonfelice Zondadari 1712 - 1748

This portrait of Cardinal Antonfelice Zondadari was created by Giovanni Girolamo Frezza, likely in the early 18th century, using a printmaking technique. Look closely, and you can see how the network of fine lines create the illusion of shading and volume. This wasn't just a matter of artistic skill. It also depended on the specialist craft of toolmaking. Frezza would have used a burin, a precisely sharpened steel rod, to incise these lines into a copper plate. The density and direction of these lines are meticulously controlled to define the Cardinal's features, clothing, and even the texture of his hair. Printmaking in this period was not just a means of artistic expression; it was also a key part of a burgeoning media industry, circulating images and ideas across Europe. Each print demanded a combination of artistic vision, skilled labor, and a sophisticated understanding of the printing process. This portrait, like so many others, is an index of a complex economy of production, linking artist, artisan, and consumer.