Twee bladmotieven 1455 - 1503

Israhel van Meckenem made this print of two leaf motifs sometime in the late fifteenth century. The print is made with engraving, a process of incising lines onto a metal plate, in this case copper. Northern Europe at this time was in the midst of an economic boom, which created a market for luxury goods and allowed the rise of a new merchant class. Printed images like this one catered to this market. Although they were not necessarily costly, prints like these were luxury commodities because of their connection to artistry. They could also be bound into books. Van Meckenem's choice of subject matter is interesting from a social perspective. These are not generic plant forms, but specific types of leaves. In the late Middle Ages, educated people were very interested in botany, and the ability to recognize plants was a sign of social status. This print then suggests that Van Meckenem was catering to an educated market. We might look at the artist's other works, as well as botanical illustrations, to further understand the print.