Kruisiging van Christus 1725

Jan Wandelaar made this engraving of the Crucifixion, but at present the exact date of its making is unknown. As an engraving, it belongs to the world of printmaking, a process rooted in reproduction and distribution. Wandelaar skillfully cut lines into a metal plate, likely copper, with a tool called a burin. Ink was then forced into these lines, and the image transferred to paper under high pressure. This process allowed for multiples, expanding the artwork's reach. Consider the labor involved: the engraver's meticulous hand, the press operator, and the distributors, each playing a role in bringing this image to the public. And don't forget the paper-makers, whose often anonymous labor formed the base of this image. The texture in the image results from the density and depth of the engraved lines, creating light and shadow, form and drama. The work's significance lies not only in its religious subject but in its connection to a larger system of production, consumption, and the division of labor. It challenges our conventional understanding of art by bringing the usually unseen processes to the fore.