Rondreizende prentverkoper 1756 - 1807

This print, “Rondreizende prentverkoper,” was made by Balthasar Anton Dunker. To create this image, Dunker would have used a sharp tool called a burin to engrave lines directly into a copper plate. The fine, precise lines and clear details we see are typical of this technique. Engraving was a highly skilled craft, demanding years of training. But it was also a key part of the 18th-century print industry. These images could be reproduced and sold widely, bringing art to a broader audience. Here, Dunker depicts an itinerant print seller, surrounded by eager children. The prints themselves, though small, represent a form of affordable art, accessible to those outside the wealthy elite. The labor of the printmaker, and the commerce of the seller, democratized the visual landscape. Considering the materials, making, and social context, the full meaning of an artwork challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.