Paulus verkondigt de leer van Christus te Rome 1643 - 1646

This print, "Paulus verkondigt de leer van Christus te Rome", was made by an anonymous artist. It's an engraving, which means the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, and then printed onto paper. The process of engraving is painstaking. Each line you see had to be cut by hand with a tool called a burin. The depth of the line determines how much ink it holds, and therefore how dark it appears on the final print. Look closely, and you'll see an incredible variation in line weight, used to create a sense of volume and texture. The print is not just an image, but also a testament to the engraver's skill and labor. Prints like these were a key means of disseminating information and ideas in early modern Europe, think of them as the social media of their day. The making of these images and the skilled labor and time involved in their production reflects a significant investment of resources, and a growing culture of visual communication. So, when you look at this print, remember you're seeing the result of a complex interplay between material, process, and social context.