Soldaten van Herodes in manden bevechten de bandieten in hun grotten 1574

This print, of unknown date, depicts Herod's soldiers battling bandits in caves, and was made by an anonymous artist using the technique of engraving. Consider the labor involved in this printmaking process. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate. The depth and density of these lines determined the tonal range of the final image, from bright highlights to deep shadows. This was skilled work, demanding precision, control, and a deep understanding of material behavior. We might ask: what social function did these images serve? Prints like these were relatively affordable and widely distributed, making them a powerful tool for disseminating stories to a broad audience. In this case, the image reinforces a clear social hierarchy, between bandits, soldiers, and their leader. By appreciating the labor involved in its production, and the social context in which it was made, we can better understand its value as both an object and a cultural artifact.