Venus and Mercury 1595 - 1605

Jan Muller made this print, "Venus and Mercury," sometime around the turn of the 17th century. The medium is engraving, a process where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. Look closely, and you can see the result of this linear, subtractive process. The figures emerge from a dense matrix of marks, cross-hatching to create shadow and volume. This was highly skilled work, demanding not only artistic vision but also the practiced hand of a trained artisan. In Muller's time, printmaking was not just a craft but also a crucial means of disseminating imagery. Prints like this one allowed for the mass production and distribution of art, making it accessible to a wider audience. It also allowed artists to replicate and disseminate their work. Considering the material and the making helps us understand how art circulates and gains meaning in society. The distinction between 'high art' and 'craft' becomes less clear.