Johannes Meursius, Historian
1631
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1631
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white portrait shows a serious man with a full beard and ruffled collar. He’s wearing a dark coat and a chain around his neck. The background is plain, but the edges of the frame have fancy scrollwork and Latin text. The tiny lines and shading in his face suggest the artist used careful detail work. This kind of print was made by cutting into metal plates—a process called engraving. Next, look up engraving to see how artists create these sharp, precise images.
