De blijde uittocht, 1815 1815 - 1819

Made in 1815 by Aaron Martinet, this print on paper now in the Rijksmuseum, is a form of early media, distributed as a broadside. The work’s inherent qualities of material, substance, texture, weight, color and form are simple: ink laid down on cheap paper. And this very economy is key to understanding its social meaning. Martinet was engaging with a popular audience, feeding a desire for satire, caricature, and political commentary. The techniques involved were not especially precious, but instead aligned with those of other commercial printers of the day. There's real labor involved in the production process, from typesetting to printing. Because of these comparatively low material and production costs, this image could have been widely disseminated and consumed, playing an active part in shaping public opinion. This emphasizes the importance of materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of an artwork, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.