Portret van Walter Scott 1824

Alfred Delorieux created this portrait of Walter Scott as an engraving. Scott was an incredibly popular historical novelist in the first decades of the 19th century, and a figure of national importance in his native Scotland. So why choose an engraving to depict this man of letters? In the 1800s, engravings were a popular means of reproducing images and circulating them widely, so It is reasonable to assume that this image was made for the mass market rather than for display in an art gallery. The black and white tones would have also fit well with printed matter like books and newspapers. Notice too, how Scott is shown with a book in his hand, suggesting a man of erudition. To understand art like this, social history can act as a lens, helping us to see its purpose within a particular time and place. We can research archives, libraries, and newspaper records to gain a better understanding of its function in its own time.