Titelblad voor het pamflet: De Horlende Kollendans, op Tilburn, 1702 1702

This is the title page for the pamphlet ‘De Horlende Kollendans, op Tilburn,’ made in 1702 by Romeyn de Hooghe. It is an etching, a process by which lines are incised into a metal plate with acid, then inked and printed, leaving a crisp, raised image. Look closely and you’ll see that de Hooghe has packed the scene with imagery meant to evoke the chaos of a witches’ sabbath: demonic figures, animal familiars, and symbols of destruction. The sharp, reproducible nature of etching made it an ideal medium for political commentary during this period. Pamphlets like this one were mass-produced, becoming powerful tools for shaping public opinion. The very act of etching, with its reliance on skilled labor and the printing press, highlights the ways in which art could be mobilized for propaganda. De Hooghe's technical mastery serves a clear agenda, blurring the line between artistry and social commentary. He makes us question the role of craft in shaping our understanding of the world.