Zeegezicht met schepen en boten op een kalme zee 1745 - 1775

This serene 18th-century marine scene by Jean-François Daumont is a hand-colored etching, a printmaking process that involves using acid to cut lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The application of color by hand would have been a labor-intensive process, adding to the print's value as a collectible item. The etching technique allows for fine details in the ships' rigging and the subtle gradations of the sky and sea. The crisp lines suggest the precision required for navigation and shipbuilding during this period. It speaks to the complex economic and political systems underpinned by maritime power and trade. In this period, prints like these were a booming industry, a form of visual culture enjoyed by a wide public. The scene is not just a view of ships on water; it's also a view of global trade and colonial exchange, rendered through skilled labor and industrial processes. By considering the material and its making, we can appreciate the rich social and economic dimensions embedded within this seemingly simple image.