Portret van kardinaal Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz 1581 - 1633

This is Theodoor Galle’s print of Cardinal Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz. Galle, active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, was one of a dynasty of Flemish printmakers. This portrait was made using engraving, a process of incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. The crisp precision achieved through this technique lends the portrait an air of authority, mirroring the Cardinal's own. Look at the minute detail – the wrinkles around his eyes, the texture of his robes, the lettering that frames the image. Each line represents countless hours of skilled labor. The beauty of engraving lies in its capacity to translate the subtleties of light and shadow into a reproducible image. This speaks to the democratizing potential of printmaking. While only a privileged few could commission painted portraits, engravings allowed for wider distribution of images, thereby shaping public perception. It also highlights the role of skilled artisans like Galle in shaping the cultural landscape. Ultimately, this work shows how craft and fine art intersect.