Reproductie van een wandtapijt over de Spaanse Armada (28-29 juli) Possibly 1739

This print by John Pine reproduces a tapestry depicting the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The image is created through engraving, a process that involves meticulously incising lines into a metal plate, applying ink, and then pressing it onto paper. The material of the print, paper, is of course far removed from the wool and silk of a tapestry. Tapestries were luxury goods, made by highly skilled weavers over long periods of time, whereas prints, even very fine ones like this, were relatively quick to make and inexpensive to buy. This print allowed the story of the Armada to be disseminated to a much wider audience. Notice how the dense lines create a sense of depth and movement in the scene. This is a translation of the original tapestry that, itself, would have mimicked the effects of painting. The printmaking process transforms the original woven image, making it accessible, portable, and reproducible in a way that a tapestry never could be.