Het feest van de vrek Possibly 1786

This print, *Het feest van de vrek*, or *The Miser's Feast*, was made by James Gillray, probably in London, using etching and engraving, sometime around the turn of the 19th century. Gillray has used metal plates and acid to create this work, a relatively fast way of creating images that could be printed over and over again. The image skewers the wealthy classes through mockery. It’s not just the content that sends this message, it is the method of production, too. Consider the contrast between the delicate, highly crafted luxury goods enjoyed by the elite, and the mass-produced image before us, which could be disseminated widely, ultimately undermining the elite. There’s also a great deal of hand labor involved in the making of prints such as these, and so, the labor classes are implicated in the production of works that highlight inequality. The work prompts us to consider how printmaking became a tool for social commentary, subtly challenging the status quo through its very means of production.