Vertrek van de vloot met Catharina van Bragança naar Engeland, 20 april 1662 1662

This print, made by Matthäus Merian II, commemorates Catherine of Braganza’s departure to England in 1662. It's an engraving, a process involving meticulous labor. The artist would have used a sharp tool called a burin to incise lines into a metal plate, likely copper. Ink is then applied to the plate, pushed into the engraved lines, and the surface is wiped clean. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. This method allowed for mass production, fitting for the subject matter. Consider the great ships depicted, symbols of global trade and colonial power. The print aestheticizes this activity, but also speaks to the vast amounts of human labor that fueled it. From the sailors manning the fleet to those who built the ships, this image quietly acknowledges the intense social stratification of the time. The fine lines of the engraving lend a sense of order and control to the scene, which belies the messy realities of international trade. By understanding the print’s making, we can better appreciate its complex relationship to labor, politics, and consumption.