Titelblad voor een serie kinderspelen 1636 - 1679

This print, made by Cornelis Schut in the 17th century, is titled "Titelblad voor een serie kinderspelen," or Title Page for a Series of Children's Games, and was made using the intaglio process. The density of line suggests that Schut likely used etching, a printmaking technique in which lines are bitten into a metal plate using acid. The plate would have been inked, then wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. The printmaker would then apply great pressure to transfer the ink to the paper. Note the detail of the depicted scene: an artist at work, easel-side. This speaks to the labor involved in the production of prints like this. While not as physically demanding as some other forms of making, printmaking requires technical skill and careful attention to detail. Thinking about the labor involved gives us a deeper appreciation for this small but fascinating work, and reminds us of the skilled artisans who made images available to a wide public.