Op een kade wordt Maurits welkom geheten 1808

This print, "Op een kade wordt Maurits welkom geheten," was made by Reinier Vinkeles. Vinkeles employed engraving, a printmaking technique that demands a lot of time and skill. The process involves using a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate, usually copper. The incised lines hold ink, and when the plate is pressed onto paper, the image is transferred. The fine lines and precise details would have taken considerable time and expertise. This intaglio process would have been a highly valued skill in the 18th century. It was essential for reproducing images and disseminating information in a pre-photographic era. Consider the labor involved in creating this image, from the initial design to the final print. Vinkeles's work provides a window into the world of skilled artisans and the social value placed on hand-made images before industrialization transformed artistic production. The level of craft involved invites us to appreciate the human touch embedded in this historical document.