Paardenhoofd in gebogen houding, naar rechts before 1841

This print of a horse’s head, made by Joannes Bemme, is all about the subtle control of line, made possible by the intaglio process. This involves incising an image into a metal plate – probably copper in this case – and then using this as a matrix to transfer the image to paper. In Bemme’s time, the print was a key form of visual communication. Unlike painting or sculpture, which were unique works accessible only to the wealthy, prints could be widely disseminated. Think of them as the social media of the 1800s. Also, unlike a drawing, a print can be created in multiples – in this case, presumably for an audience interested in horsemanship. The controlled, almost clinical lines of this image speaks to a precise methodology and a highly skilled hand. It's a great example of how even an apparently simple image can speak volumes about the culture and the means of production that brought it into being.