Portret van Michel Baron 1732

Jean Daullé made this engraving of Michel Baron sometime in the 1700s. This isn't paint on canvas; it's ink meticulously incised on a metal plate, a process demanding intense focus and control. Notice the precise lines defining Baron's powdered wig and velvet robe. Look closely and you'll see the texture of lace at his cuffs, all created through a network of tiny marks. Engraving like this was a commercial enterprise, a way to reproduce images and disseminate them widely. It's an early form of mass media. The labor-intensive process allowed skilled artisans like Daullé to cater to a growing market for portraits and decorative prints. This portrait of Baron connects to broader issues of labor, class, and consumption in 18th century Europe. It reflects the era’s evolving relationship between art, craft, and commerce. By considering the material and the making, we get a richer view of both the artwork, and its world.