Visitekaartje van drukkerij Nys en Mommen 1869 - 1870

This calling card for the Nys and Mommen printing house was made by Felicien Rops, using a printmaking technique called etching. Acid is used to bite into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed, in this case leaving delicate lines on paper. The card is an allegory of sorts. We see cherubic figures, putti, busily engaged in the work of printing. Note the oversized scissors, a reference to cutting the printing plates. The image is rich with the tools of the printing trade, including a press and various implements for handling ink and paper. By presenting the printing process through the imagery of laboring cherubs, Rops elevates the craft of printing to an art form. This was a deliberate choice, intended to bring the commercial printing trade closer to the realm of art. It challenges the traditional hierarchy of the art world. Rops seems to suggest that the skill and artistry involved in printing are just as valuable as those in painting or sculpture. Through a focus on materials, making, and context, we understand the full meaning of an artwork, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.