Heilige communie wordt uitgedeeld aan jongens en meisjes 1859

This print, titled "Heilige communie wordt uitgedeeld aan jongens en meisjes", or "Holy Communion being given to boys and girls," was made by an anonymous artist. It's an engraving, meaning the artist would have used a tool called a burin to cut lines into a metal plate, which was then inked and printed. Look closely, and you can see the effect of all those carefully incised lines. This would have been a labor-intensive process, and typical of the printmaking techniques of the era. The nature of engraving means that many copies of this image could be made and distributed widely, and perhaps sold for a modest profit. The relatively fine detail that could be achieved meant that very skilled artisans were needed in the production process. It's interesting to consider how this mode of production allowed religious imagery to circulate within a community, and perhaps made it more accessible for the common person.