Portret van koning Pharamond 1633 - 1676

This print, portraying King Pharamond, was made by Jean Frosne in the 17th century. As an engraving, it began with a metal plate, likely copper, meticulously incised to hold ink. The lines you see are not drawn, but impressed – a testament to the engraver's skill and labor. Consider the social context: prints like this were essentially proto-mass media. They enabled the wide distribution of images and ideas, in this case solidifying the image of Pharamond. The texture and weight of the paper speak to the rise of a print culture, where images could be easily reproduced and disseminated. Prints like this also reflect the organization of labor: while Frosne’s name is attached, the production likely involved other hands, from the preparation of the plate to the printing itself. By understanding the material processes, we understand the image as both a work of art and a product of its time.