Portret van Josef Wenzel Radetzky von Radetz 1860

This is a portrait of Josef Wenzel Radetzky von Radetz, made by Georg Wolf. It’s a print, and the magic of printmaking lies in its capacity for reproduction. Consider the layers of labor involved: the artist's initial design, the skilled artisan meticulously engraving the plate, and the press operators churning out copies. Look closely and you'll see the fine lines that capture Radetzky's likeness, the texture of his uniform, and the glint of his medals. Engraving is an indirect process; the artist never actually touches the paper in the way a painter does, but instead uses tools to cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto the page. The result is a finely detailed image with a tactile quality all its own. Prints like this were not just about art; they were about information, about disseminating images and ideas. They were a means of celebrating military figures, embedding them in the public consciousness, and shaping the narrative of a nation. The print is a multiple, and its meaning is also multiple, and must be understood in the wider social context of its production and consumption.