Portret van Michel de L'Hospital 1765

This print of Michel de L'Hospital was made by Antoine de Marcenay de Ghuy sometime in the 18th century. It's an engraving, a process that demands exacting skill. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to cut lines into a copper plate, then ink would be applied, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the incised lines. Finally, paper is pressed against the plate. The resulting image is defined by the precision of those lines. Look closely, and you'll see how de Ghuy varied the density and direction of the marks to create tonal variation and texture, from the velvety robes to the stubble of the beard. Engraving was an essential technology for disseminating images widely in this period. It enabled a kind of mass production, making portraits like this accessible to a broad audience. This print isn't just a likeness of an important person; it's a testament to the power of reproducible imagery, and the skilled labor required to make it.