Gezicht op de sinaasappelbomen voor de Orangerie van het Paleis van Versailles 1700 - 1761

This print, “View of the Orange-tree Garden at Versailles,” was made by John Tinney in the mid-18th century. It combines etching and engraving, both intaglio processes. The image was incised into a metal plate, and then ink was pressed into these lines. The final print is a result of physical pressure. Notice the formality of the garden, its layout a testament to human control over nature, and the figures in the foreground, all enjoying this orchestrated landscape. This image, multiplied through printmaking, played a key role in disseminating Versailles as a symbol of French power. It is important to remember that prints like these weren’t just images; they were commodities, reliant on the labor of skilled artisans like Tinney, and on a market eager to consume representations of luxury. By considering its making and the society in which it circulated, we see it as more than just a pretty picture.