Aarde (Terra) 1606 - 1610

This is an engraving called "Aarde", or "Earth," made by Jacob Matham around the turn of the 17th century. As an engraving, this work depends on the skillful use of a burin, a hardened steel tool, to carve lines into a copper plate. The plate is then inked and printed, leaving behind the image you see. The material of the print itself – paper – is also significant. Mass-produced and relatively inexpensive, prints like these were accessible to a broad audience, and played a crucial role in disseminating images and ideas throughout Europe. Matham's print, with its allegorical figure of Earth and its abundance of natural imagery, reflects a culture deeply engaged with exploring and understanding the natural world, an engagement that was itself enabled and accelerated by the very process of printmaking. So, next time you look at a print, consider not only the image it presents, but also the intricate labor and material processes that brought it into being.