The Fall of the Walls of Jericho, from "Dalziels' Bible Gallery" 1881

Henry Hugh Armstead designed 'The Fall of the Walls of Jericho' as a wood engraving for "Dalziels' Bible Gallery." The technique of wood engraving is crucial here. Unlike woodcut, which uses softer wood and bolder cuts, wood engraving employs the end-grain of a hard wood block. This allows for incredibly fine detail, as you can see in the textures of the clothing and the distant architecture. The image would have been painstakingly carved by specialist engravers, who often remained uncredited even though their skill was essential to the final result. Consider that the original drawing was translated through multiple hands and processes to arrive at this print. Its appearance is directly related to the division of labor in industrialized printmaking, which mirrored the broader social context of Victorian England. Ultimately, this work highlights how the means of production profoundly shape our experience and interpretation of art. It challenges us to look beyond the artist's initial concept and appreciate the collaborative, material processes that bring an image to life.