Portret van Nehemia Rogers 1697

Martin Bernigeroth created this portrait of Nehemia Rogers using engraving, a printmaking technique dependent on the skillful use of a burin to incise an image into a metal plate. Look closely, and you’ll see how the network of finely-wrought lines build up to create tone and texture. The engraver had to have complete mastery of the tool, applying just the right amount of pressure to achieve the desired effect. Every mark is decisive, and the labor intensive process leaves no room for error. The print also speaks to the increasing professionalization of artmaking in the 18th century. Bernigeroth was a skilled craftsman, producing imagery on demand for a growing market of collectors. This wasn’t necessarily art for art’s sake. It was a commercial transaction, with the engraver’s technical prowess directly linked to his economic livelihood. Engravings like this remind us that even seemingly straightforward images are the product of skilled hands, complex processes, and evolving social contexts.