Achttien vogels before 1669

This etching, titled "Eighteen Birds," was created by Henri Le Roy, probably in the Dutch Republic, sometime in the first half of the 17th century. It depicts an array of bird species in a horizontal composition. These kinds of images were typically found in emblem books, but could also circulate as single-sheet prints that were collected as novelties or curiosities. During the early modern period, the Dutch Republic became one of the most prolific producers and consumers of printed material. The relative ease of producing and selling etchings meant that even relatively obscure artists like Le Roy could find an audience for their work. We can use archives of early printmaking firms and the inventories of collectors to understand the context in which such an image would have been consumed. This helps us to understand the social conditions that made such art possible.