Portret van Maria II Stuart c. 1750 - 1793

This print of Mary II was made by William Faithorne the Younger around the turn of the 18th century. It is an engraving, meaning that the image you see was carved into a metal plate, inked, and then pressed onto paper. Consider the intense labor involved: Faithorne would have used specialized tools to meticulously cut away at the metal, a slow and painstaking process. The quality of line suggests a mastery of the technique, with the velvety shadows and gleaming highlights of Mary’s dress achieved through subtle gradations. Prints like this played a crucial role in disseminating images and ideas in the early modern period. This portrait would have helped to project an image of royal authority, both celebrating and reinforcing the social hierarchy. In this context, printmaking can be seen as both a skilled craft and a tool for political power.