Portret van Maximiliaan I van Habsburg 1641

This is a portrait of Maximiliaan I van Habsburg, made by Sebastian Furck in the 17th century, employing the printmaking technique of engraving. Furck used a tool called a burin to manually incise lines into a copper plate. The depth and density of these lines, determined by the artist's hand, create the tonal variations we see in the print. The resulting texture of the engraved lines gives the portrait a unique visual quality, a certain crispness. The level of detail achieved speaks to the artisan's skill, honed through dedicated practice. The inscription within the artwork and along the bottom tells us about the context and the sitter's role as a Roman Emperor. Engravings like this weren’t just about artistry; they were a means of mass production and dissemination of images. They played a vital role in spreading ideas and portraying power, very much a product of their time. By focusing on the materials, making, and context, we come to understand this work as more than just a portrait—it's a piece of social history, challenging any strict divide between art and craft.