Gezicht op de kerk Santo Spirito in Sassia te Rome 1745 - 1775

This print of the Santo Spirito in Sassia church in Rome was made by Jean-François Daumont, probably not long before his death in 1775. The technique used was engraving, a printmaking process in which lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. What’s interesting about prints like this is their potential for mass production. The engraver's skill lies not only in rendering an image, but in creating a matrix that can be reproduced many times over. This had a democratizing effect, making images accessible to a broader public. We can see this in the very fine lines of the engraving, which create texture and depth, but also allow for efficient replication. The application of color, likely done by hand after printing, adds another layer of labor to the process. So, when we look at this print, we're not just seeing a depiction of a Roman church. We're also seeing the result of a specific mode of production. By understanding its material and making, we gain insight into the social and economic context of its time.