Titelblad voor de serie 'Leopoldo I Magno S.R.I. Imperatori Semper Augusto' met een reeks van vorstenportretten 1690 - 1713

This title page for a series of ruler portraits was made by Pieter Schenk, likely using an etching technique. This printmaking method involves incising lines into a metal plate with acid, then inking the plate and pressing it onto paper to create the image. Notice the graphic quality of the lettering. The precision required speaks to Schenk's mastery of the etching process, where even slight variations in pressure or acid exposure could alter the final appearance. The evenness of the lines and controlled curves suggest a careful and deliberate approach. The series to which this page belongs would have been produced in multiples, making it accessible to a wider audience than a unique drawing or painting. This points to the way printmaking served the growing culture of information and portraiture in the 17th and 18th centuries. It shows the importance of the graphic arts as a medium for disseminating ideas, asserting power and also building an artist's reputation through skill, labor, and the reach of print.