Lot with His Daughters, from The Story of Lot 1555

Heinrich Aldegrever made this print, *Lot with His Daughters*, sometime in the first half of the 16th century. It’s a masterful example of engraving, a printmaking process where the artist uses a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate, in this case most likely copper. Consider the sheer labor involved. Every line you see was physically cut into the metal, requiring immense skill and control. The varying depth and thickness of the lines create a rich tonal range, from the darkest shadows to the lightest highlights. Look closely and you’ll notice the incredible detail – the textures of the clothing, the expressions on the figures' faces, the burning city of Sodom in the background. Aldegrever was part of a generation of German artists who pushed the boundaries of printmaking. They were working in a world increasingly shaped by the rise of capitalism, where the mass production and distribution of images became possible for the first time. Prints like this weren't just art objects; they were commodities, circulated and consumed in a rapidly expanding market. They testify to the close relationship between art, labor, and commerce in the early modern world.