Zittende oude man 1756

Pietro Peiroleri made this print, around 1764, using etching and engraving techniques. The fine lines you see are the result of careful labor. Peiroleri would have covered a metal plate with a waxy ground, then drawn into it with a needle to expose the metal. Acid would then have bitten into these lines, creating grooves that would hold ink. Further details were then added with an engraving burin, a tool used to directly cut lines into the plate. The resulting print shows the skill involved, and connects it to a longer history of printmaking as both craft and industry. The quality of line and shading gives texture to the man’s garments. It shows his age and dignity, suggesting the value of experience at a time when social hierarchies were still strongly in place. Considering the making of this print reminds us that all images, even seemingly straightforward portraits, are the product of skilled handwork and complex social contexts. It invites us to look closely, appreciating the labor and artistry involved.