Two Women Sitting in a Shell 1615 - 1642

This is "Two Women Sitting in a Shell," an engraving made by Pierre Brebiette in the 17th century. Engraving is an intaglio printmaking technique where the artist uses a tool to cut lines into a metal plate, which then holds ink and transfers the design onto paper. The fine lines and level of detail suggest a highly skilled artisan. The process involves significant labor, from the initial design to the physical act of carving, inking, and printing. The subject is a bacchanal procession, a celebration of excess, revelry, and the power of nature. Such imagery was favored by wealthy patrons, the only people who could afford prints like this. The work also reflects social issues of labor and class, embodying the artist's craft and the patron's status. Appreciating the material reality of the printmaking, the process, and its cultural context allows us to see the artwork beyond its surface.