Portret van Sertorius Ursatus 1651

This is a portrait of Sertorius Ursatus, etched by Giovanni Georgi. The image is created through the meticulous, painstaking process of engraving, where lines are incised into a metal plate, and then printed. Look closely, and you can see the extraordinary skill involved. The fineness of the lines describing Ursatus’s hair, the subtle shading that models his face, and the rendering of his patterned shirt. The overall effect gives a sense of volume. The controlled precision of the engraving process speaks to the careful labor involved in its production. Consider the social context of this print, as well. It was likely produced as a relatively affordable way to disseminate images of important figures, reflecting a growing culture of visual media. Thinking about this artwork in terms of materials and making, it invites us to consider the broader economic and social forces at play in its creation. It shows how artists have always engaged with industrial processes, and how craft and fine art are not so different after all.