De exercitie met de targe en rapier: de soldaat houdt de targe vast met de rechterhand en grijpt met de linkerhand de riem (nr. 3), 1618 1616 - 1618

Adam van Breen made this engraving in 1618, depicting a soldier holding a shield called a targe. Engravings like this one were printed on paper using a press, allowing for the wide distribution of images, and, as such, new ideas. The process begins with the artist using a tool called a burin to cut lines into a metal plate, often copper. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, paper is pressed against the plate, transferring the image. Look closely, and you can appreciate the quality of line the artist was able to achieve. In van Breen’s time, printmaking was not just about art. It was also a key way to spread information, in this case about military training. The degree of skill required for the production of arms and armor, as well as the image, speaks to a culture deeply invested in both warfare and its representation. This print is an example of how techniques of reproduction have long been central to both artistic creation and the distribution of knowledge.