Portret van Friedrich Heinrich, Reichsgraf von Seckendorf 1722

This portrait of Friedrich Heinrich, Reichsgraf von Seckendorf, was made by Martin Bernigeroth, probably in the early 18th century. It is an engraving, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate, inked, and then printed onto paper. Engraving was a highly skilled, labor-intensive process. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to carefully carve lines into the metal, building up the image through a network of fine marks. Look closely, and you can see how Bernigeroth used this technique to capture the texture of Seckendorf's elaborate wig and the folds of his coat. In its time, printmaking occupied an interesting place in the art world. While requiring considerable craft, it was also a form of reproduction, allowing images to be disseminated widely. This opened up new markets for art but also raised questions about originality and value. By understanding the materials and processes behind this engraving, we can appreciate the complex relationship between art, labor, and commerce in the 18th century.