Wapentrofee 1778

Etienne Claude Voysard made this print, titled "Wapentrofee," around 1760 using etching and engraving. Look closely, and you'll see the fineness of the lines and the tonal range achieved through these processes. Voysard's technique is a form of industrial reproduction. The print could easily circulate, giving the image a life far beyond its immediate context. He has created a celebration of military might. A cannon is draped with flags, arms, and olive branches, an allegorical figure sits atop. The meticulous nature of the printmaking process, demanding skilled labor, seems ironic given that its purpose is to glorify war. Such imagery, endlessly replicated, was instrumental in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards military power. Through the very act of making art, the artist becomes complicit in these politics. So we can consider how materials, making, and context all contribute to the artwork's deeper meaning, challenging any easy separation between art and craft.