Optocht door de Brabantse rederijkerskamer Het Lavenderblomken uit Amsterdam (tweede deel), 1607 1607

This is an etching, made in 1607 by an anonymous artist, depicting a parade by the Brabant Chamber of Rhetoric, ‘The Lavender Branch’ from Amsterdam. Etchings like this one were made by incising lines into a metal plate, applying ink, and then using a press to transfer the image to paper. This relatively new, easily repeatable technique had a democratizing effect, circulating images widely in early modern Europe. As a multiple, this print could serve as a form of propaganda, or a record of public events. The scene is a theatrical procession, with figures in costume, carrying props. But there’s a satirical edge to the image, underscored by the text below. In this light, the very act of making the print – its efficient, commercial nature – seems aligned with the critical perspective it takes. A far cry from the unique, handcrafted object, this etching invites us to consider how new technologies can be used to dissect the social world.