Portret van Jan II van Avesnes 1757

Jean Jacques Flipart made this portrait of Jan II van Avesnes in the 18th century, using etching and engraving. These are essentially printing processes, where an image is incised into a metal plate, inked, and then pressed onto paper. The material qualities here are subtle: the crispness of the lines, the tonal variations achieved by hatching, and the overall flatness inherent to printmaking. Look closely, and you can see the tremendous labor involved. Every line had to be carefully cut into the metal. This was not just a reproductive process; it was a highly skilled craft. Consider the social context, too. Printmaking made images more accessible, but it was still a specialized industry, relying on skilled artisans and a network of production and distribution. By focusing on the materials, processes, and social context, we see how this portrait is not just a representation of a historical figure, but also a product of its own time, reflecting the labor, skill, and social structures of 18th-century printmaking.