Judith with the Head of Holofernes 1528

Heinrich Aldegrever made this print of Judith with the Head of Holofernes, sometime around 1528, using the intaglio process of engraving. The method involves using a tool called a burin to cut lines directly into a metal plate, which is then inked, and printed onto paper. The very act of incising lines into the metal is what defines the image, creating a graphic language of tremendous detail. Look closely, and you will notice how each mark is carefully placed. Printmaking like this was essential to the spread of visual ideas in the early modern period, not unlike the internet today. It allowed artists to reach a wide audience with relatively little labor. Engravers like Aldegrever were essentially small-scale manufacturers, who played a vital role in the rise of a mass-market culture. Considering the material properties and historical context of this print allows us to appreciate Aldegrever's craftsmanship, and the print's role in disseminating images and stories to a wider public, in ways that blurred the boundaries between art, craft, and industry.