Portret van Willem Lodewijk, graaf van Nassau-Dillenburg 17th century

This is a portrait of Willem Lodewijk, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, made using printmaking techniques. It's hard to say exactly when it was made, or by whom, as the artwork is anonymous. Prints like this depend on a matrix – typically a metal plate – into which an image has been incised. The surface is inked, then wiped clean so that ink remains only in the recesses. Paper is then pressed firmly against the matrix to pick up the ink, transferring the image. The striking thing about this portrait is how the lines create tone and texture. Note how the printmaker describes the ruff at Willem Lodewijk’s neck, or the polished surfaces of his armor. These effects would have been achieved through a skilled application of engraving techniques. Though we don’t know the artist’s name, we can appreciate how their artistry gives life to this historical figure, and speaks to the central importance of printmaking in early modern Europe.