Beleg van Valenciennes, 1567 1643 - 1645

Frans van den Wijngaerde created this print of the Siege of Valenciennes in 1567, using the intaglio process. Lines were incised into a copper plate, likely with a tool called a burin. Ink was then applied and the excess wiped away, leaving ink only in the incised lines. The act of printing transformed the copperplate, a relatively commonplace industrial material, into a vehicle for art. The precise, repeatable nature of printmaking allowed for the wide dissemination of images and ideas. This particular print served as a visual record of a significant historical event, and also as a piece of propaganda, celebrating the power of the governing forces. Consider the labor involved: the engraver's skilled hand, the printer's careful application of ink, the publisher's investment in materials and distribution. Each impression of this print represents a small piece of a larger economic engine, fueled by the demand for information and imagery in a rapidly changing world. By appreciating the materials, making and context, we recognize the significance of this print, and its reflection of the social and political landscape of its time.