Portret van Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector van Engeland 1728

This is an engraving of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, by Bernard Picart, dating to the late 17th or early 18th century. Engraving is an intaglio process, where lines are cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. It's a world away from painting or sculpture – a print is made to be reproduced. In this case, the lines describe Cromwell’s likeness, of course, but also the textures of his hair and, especially, his armor. Think of the labor involved in producing this suit of armor, hammered and polished to a gleaming finish; and then the labor of Picart, recording it all in minute detail. Prints like this allowed for the relatively wide circulation of imagery, creating and reinforcing notions of power. While we don’t usually think of printmaking as being a “craft,” it absolutely is – a skilled process, with its own distinctive aesthetic effects.