Portret van Edward Russell, 1e graaf van Oxford 1742

This is Jacob Houbraken’s portrait of Edward Russell, the first Earl of Oxford. It’s an engraving – a print made by carefully cutting lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing paper against the surface. Look closely, and you can see how the artist has used tiny, precise marks to create areas of light and shadow. The effect is extraordinary. It seems as though we are looking at a finely rendered drawing, not something made through a labor-intensive, mechanical process. Engraving was a highly skilled craft, requiring years of training. Its purpose was to disseminate images widely, making them accessible to a broader public. The beauty of this print lies not only in its aesthetic qualities but also in its function as a means of communication and cultural exchange. In a way, this print democratizes art, breaking down hierarchies between the unique artwork and the multiple.