Portret van Joseph Adam von Taufkirch auf Guttenberg 1715 - 1797

This is a portrait of Joseph Adam von Taufkirch auf Guttenberg, made by Joseph Anton Zimmermann. It's an engraving, so its tones and textures were achieved by cutting lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. Look closely, and you can see that the engraver varied the density and direction of the lines to create a convincing illusion of three-dimensionality, and to describe the textures of the armor, hair, and skin. Engraving was an important reproductive technology in its day, used to circulate images of power and prestige widely. The sharp, precise lines of the engraving lend an air of authority to the sitter, but also speak to the skill and labor required to create such an image. The engraver would have needed to be a master of their tools and materials, capable of translating the likeness of a person into a complex system of lines and tones. This form of craft, in itself, communicates status.