Frederik IV 1750s

Jonas Haas created this engraving of Frederik IV. An engraving is a printmaking process, using a metal plate, usually copper, into which the design has been cut by a tool called a burin. The engraver painstakingly incises lines into the plate; these lines hold ink when the surface is wiped clean, allowing the image to be printed. The crisp, precise lines are characteristic of this medium and well-suited to capturing fine details like the King's elaborate wig and clothing. Consider the labor involved: from the initial drawing, to the slow, deliberate work of cutting the plate, to the final printing. This medium was very popular at the time, due to its reproducibility. This allowed for the widespread dissemination of images, which was crucial for projecting power and authority. Engravings were not simply artistic creations, but tools of communication and control in a rapidly changing world.