Gehoor 1683 - 1710

Bernard Picart created this print, "Gehoor," sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, employing the age-old technique of engraving. Engraving is a meticulous, labor-intensive practice, involving carving lines directly into a metal plate. The fineness of the lines, and the intricacy of the composition, speak to Picart’s mastery. But the very nature of the medium also speaks volumes. This wasn't a unique work of art, but something made to be reproduced. Prints like this were part of a burgeoning media landscape, allowing images and ideas to circulate widely. Consider the implications: a demand for such imagery, a skilled artisan employed to meet it, and a market eager to consume these products. Picart wasn't just an artist; he was a vital cog in the early modern machinery of culture and commerce. By understanding the making, we gain insight into the wider world in which it was produced, blurring the lines between art, craft, and industry.