Tentoonstelling in de Royal Academy in Londen in 1787 Possibly 1787

Pietro Antonio Martini made this print in 1787, depicting the Royal Academy exhibition in London. Engraving, the printmaking process used here, sits at an interesting intersection of art and industry. Lines are incised into a metal plate, traditionally copper, with a tool called a burin. Ink is then pressed into these lines, and the image transferred to paper. Consider the labor involved: from the mining of the copper to the skilled hands of the engraver like Martini, who meticulously captured the scene. The Royal Academy sought to elevate the status of artists, but prints like this one also democratized art, making images accessible to a wider audience.   This print provides a window into the art world of the late 18th century, and also into the complex relationships between artistic production, commerce, and the viewing public. Thinking about the materials and processes involved reminds us that art is always embedded in a wider social and economic context.