Portret van kardinaal Tommaso Pasquale Gizzi 1829 - 1895

Francesco Ratti created this print of Cardinal Tommaso Pasquale Gizzi, using engraving techniques. This involved cutting lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing paper against the surface to transfer the image. The fine lines that define Gizzi’s features and clothing required immense skill and time. Each mark meticulously carved, accumulates to form tone and texture. Looking closely, you can appreciate the level of control and precision needed to create such detail. The process, in effect, captures not just the likeness of the Cardinal, but also the social dynamics of artistic production in the 19th century. Engraving was a commercial practice. Prints were made in multiples and sold to a wide public. The intense labor involved would have been balanced against the potential for broader distribution. By considering the material and the means of production, we recognize that printmaking was not only an art form, but an industry.