Portret van Petrus Bortius 1657 - 1707

Hendrik Bary made this portrait of Petrus Bortius sometime in the late 17th century, using engraving. Take a close look, and you can see the dense network of etched lines. These lines are what give this print its form and tone. Bary created these lines on a copper plate, using a tool called a burin to cut directly into the metal. This is a highly skilled, labor-intensive process, demanding precision and control. The material quality of the print—the crispness of the lines, the subtle gradations of light and shadow—are all a direct result of Bary's mastery of the engraving technique. This was not just a way to reproduce images, it was a craft in its own right. Bary was an expert at it, and it's through this laborious process that the artwork gains its full meaning.