Vuur 1606

This small print, ‘Vuur’, or ‘Fire,’ at the Rijksmuseum, was created by an anonymous artist using engraving techniques. The image is made by carefully incising lines into a metal plate, likely copper, with a tool called a burin. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the engraved lines. When pressed against paper, the design transfers, resulting in the image we see here. The fine lines and precise details suggest a highly skilled engraver, working within a well-established tradition. But the choice of printmaking as a medium is also important. Unlike painting or sculpture, prints can be reproduced multiple times. This availability made imagery accessible to a wider audience, creating new markets for art and design. In appreciating this small print, we acknowledge the work involved, the skilled labor of the engraver, and the broader social and economic context in which it was made.