Manier waarop vrouwen rusten 1704

'Manier waarop vrouwen rusten' was made by Bernard Picart around 1704, and is a line etching on paper. Picart was a master of this process, which allowed him to create highly detailed, reproducible images. The real subject of the etching isn't just the women, but the incredibly elaborate clothing that they wear. The sheer amount of fabric, the ruffles, the ornamentation – all of this speaks to a culture of extreme consumption and display. Consider all of the labor involved in producing these garments: the growing of flax or raising of sheep, the spinning of thread, the weaving of cloth, the cutting and sewing, and the elaborate embellishment. Picart’s etching, made with the repeatable process of printmaking, made images of this culture available for wider consumption. So, in a way, the etching becomes part of the same story that it tells. It reminds us that even seemingly simple images are the result of complex processes and social relationships.