Verdrijving uit het paradijs 1582 - 1613

Pieter van der Borcht's "Expulsion from Paradise," made around the turn of the 17th century, is an intricate engraving printed on paper. The image is built from a dense mesh of lines, etched into a metal plate, then transferred to the page. Consider the labor involved: the skilled hand needed to create such detail, the physical effort to drive the burin through the metal, and the repetitive work of printing. The image would have been produced as part of a large edition, destined for widespread distribution, like an early form of mass media. Note also the contrast between the idyllic scene of the Garden of Eden and the grim reality of the printmaking process itself. The implied themes of labor, production, and distribution introduce a tension that underscores the relationship between art, commerce, and the human condition. This print invites us to look beyond the image and reflect on the ways it came into being.