Jonge ouders en een baby bij een min voor de haard 1817 - 1859

This print, showing a young couple and baby by the fire, was made by Amélie Dumas using engraving. This process involves cutting an image into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. Consider the material implications of that production: the engraver requires specialized tools and training, and the press itself suggests the rise of industrial processes. The print medium democratizes images, and their consumption. Look at the opulence of the room, from the carpet to the clothing. These objects don't simply exist; they are also products of intense labor. Someone made that carpet, sewed that gown, and maintained the fire, all for the comfort of this family. The fire burning in the hearth is an interesting focal point. For centuries, heat was produced by the hard labor of gathering wood, yet here it is presented as domestic luxury. This image asks us to consider who benefits from comfort, and who provides it.