Joachim Patinir 1585 - 1629

This print of Joachim Patinir was made by Aegidius Sadeler II, likely in the late 16th or early 17th century, using the technique of engraving. Engraving is an intaglio process, meaning that the image is incised into a metal plate, and then ink is held in these lines to create the print. The remarkable details in the face and clothing of Patinir were achieved by pushing a tool called a burin through the metal, requiring immense skill. Look closely, and you’ll notice how Sadeler varied the weight of the lines to create a sense of volume and light. Engraving like this would have required a highly specialized workshop, operating according to a division of labor. From the making of the metal plate to the operation of the printing press, this was a complex industrial process. Appreciating this fact helps us to see these prints not just as portraits, but as documents of a very particular moment in the history of making.