Portret van Robert Ker

This print, depicting Robert Ker, Duke of Roxburghe, was made by James McArdell, likely in the mid-18th century, using a technique called mezzotint. Mezzotint is a painstaking process. First, the metal plate is roughened evenly with a tool called a rocker. If printed at this stage, it would produce a solid black field. The artist then burnishes or scrapes away areas to create lighter tones. Because it relies on manipulating the texture of the plate, mezzotint produces prints with rich tonal variations and velvety blacks, ideal for reproducing paintings. Consider the labor involved. Before McArdell even began depicting the Duke, he would have spent hours preparing the plate. This manual labor contrasts sharply with the Duke's attire – the lace, the fur, the very picture of aristocratic ease. In its own way, the mezzotint process – requiring specialized skill and time – mirrors the social hierarchy of the time. Looking closely at the materials and processes involved allows us to consider the social context embedded within the work.