Cardinal Jules Mazarin

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a serious expression. He’s wearing a ruffled collar and a dark coat, holding a piece of paper in his right hand. The background is a simple oval frame, but the edges are decorated with swirling patterns and stars. The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth, especially in the man’s face and clothing. The tiny cross-hatched lines build up shadows and texture, making the engraving look almost three-dimensional. Next, check out engraving to see how artists like this one used tools to carve detailed images into metal.