Portret van Etienne Calvel 1776 - 1824

Johann Christian Ernst Müller created this print of Etienne Calvel, from Toulouse, using a technique called etching. Printmaking like this, especially of portraits, was an important part of the media landscape of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It provided a way to circulate images of prominent people, connecting them to a wider public. Consider the rituals of display in the home or coffee house; the acquisition of such images was a way of demonstrating one's allegiance to certain values or political positions. In revolutionary France, portrait prints played a crucial role in constructing and disseminating images of national heroes. While this print depicts a man from Toulouse, further research into the sitter and the artist could reveal the political and social networks to which they belonged. Perhaps we could find evidence of participation in the debates that defined this pivotal moment in European history. By understanding the context in which such images were created and consumed, we can gain insight into the formation of public opinion and the construction of identity in a rapidly changing world.