Reproductie van twee prenten van vazen door Hieronymus Cock naar Vredeman de Vries before 1881

These are reproductions of two prints of vases, made after designs by Vredeman de Vries and engraved by Hieronymus Cock. The prints are made using engraving, a process where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. It is this process that gives the prints their distinctive character, where the fineness of the engraved lines renders the ornamental details of these vases. Vases like these were aspirational objects of wealth and status. This print makes them accessible to a wider audience, playing a role in the distribution of taste. It speaks to the commodification of art and design in early modern Europe, where prints served as vehicles for disseminating fashionable styles. The reproduction process involved multiple skilled laborers, from the original designer to the engraver and printer. This division of labor is characteristic of early capitalist modes of production.