Medaillon met een portret van keizer Maximiliaan I c. 1631 - 1645

Christoffel Jegher made this woodcut portrait of Emperor Maximilian I, working in Antwerp. The image is made from multiple blocks, inked in different colors, and then printed in precise register, a demanding task. Woodcut is an accessible medium. The tools and materials were cheap compared to other printmaking techniques like engraving, yet it was labor intensive, requiring meticulous cutting of the block. The result, here, is a study in the power of line. Look at the way the image has been built up with fine parallel hatching, to define the contours of Maximilian's face and clothing. Jegher's sophisticated handling of this relatively humble medium elevates the image. He brings dignity and a certain monumentality to the Emperor. It makes you wonder about the economics of printmaking at this time. Who exactly was able to afford these images, and how did they circulate? Recognizing these social factors helps us appreciate the full meaning of this striking portrait.