Medaille met portret van F. Leroux after 1838

This engraving on paper, a portrait of F. Leroux, was made by Achille Collas in the 19th century. Collas was known for his ‘medallic’ portraits like this one, which mimic the appearance of cast metal. Look closely at the subtle gradations of light and shadow that define Leroux's features. This wasn't achieved with ink alone; Collas used a machine called a “reducing engine”, a technology that mechanised the process of translating three-dimensional forms into two-dimensional engravings. It allowed him to create multiple identical images with great accuracy. The reducing engine, like other technologies emerging at the time, spoke to a desire for efficiency and standardization. Collas’s artistic practice reflects wider social issues related to labour and the rise of industrial capitalism. His prints democratized portraiture, making it more accessible, while at the same time epitomizing an industrialized mode of production that diminished traditional artistic skill. Considering the materials, making, and context is crucial in understanding the full meaning of an artwork, and challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.