Epitaaf voor Albert en Isabella Clara Eugenia 1666

This elaborate commemorative print, dedicated to Albert and Isabella Clara Eugenia, was made anonymously, and its fine lines were achieved through engraving. The process begins with a metal plate, likely copper, carefully polished to a mirror finish. The design is then incised by hand, using a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into the metal. The depth and spacing of these lines determine the tonal range of the final image. Ink is then applied to the plate, filling the engraved lines, and the surface is carefully wiped clean. Finally, paper is laid on the plate, and both are run through a press. The immense pressure forces the paper into the inked grooves, transferring the image. Consider the labor involved, from the initial design to the final print. Engraving demands a high level of skill and precision, requiring years of training. The resulting prints could be reproduced in multiples, circulating images and ideas widely, thus serving as powerful tools of communication and commemoration in a pre-photographic age.