Portret van een onbekende man 1831 - 1890

This portrait of an unknown man was made by Jean Baptiste Pierre Michiels, and exists as an engraving on paper. Engraving is an intaglio process. A design is cut into a flat surface, traditionally a metal plate, and then the incised lines are filled with ink. The excess ink is wiped away, and the image is transferred to paper under high pressure. Look closely, and you can see the crisp, precise lines that define the man’s features and clothing. Engraving was a highly skilled craft, often used for reproduction of images, and to circulate printed images widely. While this portrait depicts an individual, the medium itself connects the artwork to a wider world of labor, politics, and consumption. It is through understanding these processes that we can fully appreciate the social and cultural significance of this artwork, challenging the distinctions between fine art and craft.