Epitaaf voor Hendrik Casimir II, graaf van Nassau-Dietz, 1697 1697

This epitaph for Hendrik Casimir II, a print from 1697, was made by Karst Tjallings. The copperplate engraving process used here was highly developed by this time. This meant that it was possible to make multiple, identical impressions from a single plate. Look closely, and you'll see the characteristic crisp lines and hatched shading, the result of carefully incising the metal surface. But beyond the technical skill, consider the social implications: printed images like this circulated widely, playing a key role in shaping public memory and solidifying the status of elites like Casimir. Prints like this blur our usual distinctions between art, craft, and design. All were essential to the final product. The value of this epitaph isn't just in its artistic merit but also in its function as a carefully crafted tool of cultural production.