View of Gorée 1889

Edouard Riou made this image of Gorée using wood engraving, a method well-suited to mass production. Look closely, and you’ll see the image is made of thousands of tiny lines, carefully carved into the block. This painstaking process allowed for detailed illustrations to be reproduced quickly and cheaply in books and newspapers. It democratized image-making, bringing faraway places like Gorée to a wider audience. The choice of medium also carries a certain weight, doesn’t it? Wood engraving was often used to depict scenes of industry and progress, subtly associating Gorée with notions of trade and expansion. The ships, rendered with such precision, symbolize not just exploration but also the complex networks of labor and commerce that defined the era. So, next time you see a wood engraving, remember the many hands involved: the artist, the engraver, the printer, all contributing to an image that reflects not just a place, but a whole system of production.