Titelpagina voor de Europische Mercurius van 1738 1738

This is a title page for the Europische Mercurius, made in Amsterdam in 1738 by an anonymous artist. It’s an etching, a printmaking process where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The fine lines create a detailed allegorical scene. Consider how the artist carefully controlled the etching process to create areas of light and shadow, giving depth to the composition. Look closely, and you'll see that the lines become thicker and denser in the darker areas, and are much more sparse in the lighter areas. The printing press was an engine of information and commerce during this period. The title page, as the first point of contact with the publication, had to be alluring. As a result, printed images like this one, designed to sell ideas, are not merely artworks but artifacts deeply embedded in the social and economic currents of their time. Appreciating this etching means recognizing the ingenuity and labor that went into its production.