Presentatie van Christus in de tempel 1610 - 1676

This print, depicting the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, was made by Marx Anton Hannas in the 17th century. Hannas worked with the exacting medium of engraving, cutting lines into a copper plate, which would then hold ink and transfer the image onto paper. Look closely at the image, you will see that it is built from careful strokes of lines. Think of the labor involved in such a detailed work. In Hannas’ time, printmaking was essential for disseminating images, and it was a trade, as much as an art. Printmakers often had to replicate the designs of others, or to churn out devotional images in quantity. This print is a reminder that so many artworks we now see in museums are the product of extensive work and social conditions that demanded a means for spreading images around.