Twee putti, van achteren gezien, bij een rozenstruik in pot 1675 - 1685

This print, titled "Two Putti Seen From The Back, By A Rose Bush In A Pot," was made by Pietro Antonio Cotta, using an engraving technique. Engraving involves using a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. In this image, we can see how Cotta has used close parallel lines to create shading, giving the putti and the rose bush their three-dimensional form. The lines are clean and precise, a testament to Cotta's skill with the burin. Engraving like this was a highly skilled, laborious process, demanding careful control and precision. The medium was often used for reproducing other artworks on a mass scale. This print would have been relatively affordable and widely circulated. So, as you look at this print, consider the labor and skill that went into its creation, and its role in disseminating images and ideas in its time. It reminds us that even seemingly simple images can be the product of complex social and economic forces.