Portret van Pierre de Riël de Beurnonville 1793 - 1816

Reinier Vinkeles made this portrait of Pierre de Riël de Beurnonville as an engraving. It’s a printmaking process that demands meticulous skill. The artist would have begun with a smooth copper plate, using a tool called a burin to manually carve lines into its surface. These lines, precisely cut, hold the ink. Think about the force and control required to incise that level of detail! The plate is then inked, wiped clean, and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The material’s influence is clear. The crispness of the engraved line lends a formality to the portrait, perfectly suited to depict a figure of importance. This wasn't just a commercial process; it required a skilled artisan, laboring to produce images for a growing public. Engravings like this one democratized art, making portraits accessible beyond the wealthy elite. It invites us to consider the labor, the skill, and the social context that intertwine in its creation, blurring the lines between art, craft, and industry.