Portretten van Shields, Obrien en Benzelstierna 1789

Gerhard Ludwig Lahde made this portrait print of Shields, Obrien, and Benzelstierna. Lahde used a technique called etching to create this print, carefully drawing through a wax coating on a metal plate, which was then submerged in acid. The acid bites into the metal where the wax has been removed, creating lines that hold ink. The printmaker then carefully wipes the surface, leaving ink only in these etched lines, before pressing the plate onto paper to transfer the image. This is how the crisp lines and fine details of the faces and clothing are formed. The linear precision gives the artwork its formal, classical feel. It’s easy to forget the incredible labor involved in the process, from preparing the plate to the final print, making it all the more impressive when considering that each print pulled from the plate is an original, bearing the mark of the maker's hand. It speaks to the value placed on skill and craftsmanship, especially in reproducing images of important people. This etching reminds us that even in printmaking, the hand of the artist is crucial.