Zes mannen in een interieur rondom een tafel bekijken rijkelijk vaatwerk 1889

This print, by Jos Ratinckx, shows men gathered around a table laden with what appears to be silverwork. It's rendered through etching, a printmaking technique that involves using acid to cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Look closely at the composition. Ratinckx has used the graphic precision of etching to give a sense of texture and form to the display of the riches. The density of the cross-hatching creates areas of shadow, emphasizing the reflective qualities of the metalwork, almost as if you can see a reflection on the objects. The labor implied in the work is significant, not only in the skilled execution of the etching itself, but also in the silversmithing that produced the objects in the first place. We might also reflect on the broader social context: the wealth on display, acquired through labor and trade, and now available for leisurely appraisal. Considering all this making and trading, the final print can be understood less as a depiction and more as an echo of the original craftsmanship and its embedded social relations.