Portret van Friedrich Wilhelm IV als kroonprins van Pruisen 1816

Johann Friedrich Bolt made this portrait of Friedrich Wilhelm IV, Prince of Prussia, using engraving, a printmaking technique. Engraving involves using a tool called a burin to carve lines into a metal plate, traditionally copper. The incised lines hold ink, and when pressed onto paper, they create the image. Look closely, and you can see the network of fine lines that form the prince's face and clothing. The quality of the line determines light and shade, and the density of lines creates tone. Engraving was a highly skilled craft, demanding precision and control. It was also a reproductive medium. This print would have allowed wider circulation of the Prince's image. Think of it as the social media of its day, disseminating power and status through careful labor. Considering the material and the making, we can see how this portrait embodies the values of craft, while also serving the purposes of political representation.