Paar in een Zaans tentjacht 1824

Willem van Senus made this print of a pleasure yacht using etching and engraving techniques. These processes, involving acid and sharp tools to incise an image onto a metal plate, allowed for the creation of multiple, identical images. The etching and engraving capture the textures and forms of the boat and the water, the delicate lines suggesting the play of light on the water's surface. The print is not just a picture of leisure, but also a product of labor. The skills of the printmaker, the tools they used, and the time they spent all contributed to the final image. Consider the social context as well. This yacht wasn't just a means of transport; it was a status symbol, and this print enabled the circulation of its image. The labor of the artist and the craft of printmaking are key to understanding not only how the image was made, but also its circulation as an object of cultural and economic value.