Portret van Thomas à Kempis c. 1635 - 1649

Frederick Bloemaert made this portrait of Thomas à Kempis, a spiritual writer from the Netherlands, using etching and engraving. Look closely, and you’ll see that the entire image is made up of tiny lines incised into a metal plate. Bloemaert would have applied a waxy ground, scratched away his design, then bathed the plate in acid, which bit into the exposed metal. By repeating this process, he could create lines of varying depth, and thus different densities of ink when printed. Engraving, using a burin to directly cut into the plate, allowed for even finer detail. This combination of techniques allowed for a relatively quick and repeatable image. Bloemaert could produce multiple prints from a single plate, making the portrait accessible to a wider audience. The texture achieved speaks to the skills involved, skills that bridge the gap between artistic expression, craft, and the demands of a growing print market.