Tekstblad bij de prent van de formatie van de vloot waarmee Willem III naar Engeland is gevaren, 1688 1688

Adriaen Schoonebeek created this text sheet for a print about William III's fleet to England in 1688. The printmaking process, likely etching or engraving, involves meticulously carving lines into a metal plate, inking it, and pressing it onto paper. Unlike painting or sculpture, printmaking facilitates reproduction, and this piece would have served a vital purpose: to explain the complex imagery of the accompanying print, by indicating specific details of the depicted fleet. The dense columns of text reveal the extensive planning, labor and resources that were invested in the event. Consider the skilled craftsmanship required to create the original matrix, and the many hands involved in printing and distributing the finished sheets. By focusing on its production, we recognize this modest piece not just as a historical document, but as a testament to the power of the printed image in shaping public understanding.