Man, geit en kat omringd door slakken 1605 - 1643

Charles David created this print, "Man, Goat, and Cat Surrounded by Snails," sometime in the early 17th century using engraving, a process of incising lines onto a metal plate and using ink to transfer that image to paper. The technique has a long association with book illustration and the broader dissemination of knowledge. Here, though, the precise, repeatable lines of the engraving are used to a rather different end. The bizarre scene, with its semi-human figure and grotesque details, is less about education, and more about… well, what? The materials themselves offer a clue. The very act of engraving allowed for the mass production of images, but the labor-intensive nature of the craft also speaks to a world where skilled handwork was still highly valued, even as the printing press revolutionized communication. David's image, therefore, exists in a fascinating tension, between the democratizing power of print and the enduring appeal of the handmade.