Ld. Hopton c. 18th century

Editor: This is George Vertue's engraving of Ld. Hopton, and I'm immediately struck by the detailed lines. What can you tell me about the material production of this print? Curator: Consider the social context surrounding portrait engravings in the 18th century. How did the accessibility of printed images affect notions of class and status? Was this portrait intended for mass consumption, or a more exclusive audience? Editor: It's interesting to think about how printing technology democratized portraiture. Thank you. Curator: Indeed. The act of reproducing images changes not only access but the meaning of the portrait itself.