Job Receiving the Messengers, from "Dalziels' Bible Gallery" 1876 - 1881

William Small created this engraving, "Job Receiving the Messengers," sometime in the late 19th century, as part of a project called “Dalziels’ Bible Gallery.” Engraving is a printing technique where an image is incised into a surface, in this case a metal plate. Look closely, and you’ll see how Small has built up the image through a dense network of very fine lines. The richness of the image depended entirely on the engraver’s skill. This was before the advent of photography-based printing, when reproductive printmaking was a highly skilled profession. In fact, Small did not do this engraving himself. It was made by the Dalziel Brothers, some of the most prolific wood-engravers in London. Small was one of many artists they employed to provide imagery. They would then translate the image into a printable block. Seen in this light, the print speaks to the division of labor that characterized the industrial revolution. Small supplied the concept; the Dalziels, the means of production. Understanding this collaborative process is key to appreciating the image's full meaning.