Tsaar Peter de Grote werkend op de werf te Amsterdam, 1697 1814 - 1899

This print, made in 1697 by an anonymous artist, shows Tsar Peter the Great working at a shipyard in Amsterdam. The work is a line engraving, a printmaking technique using a metal plate where lines are incised to hold ink. This process contrasts with the subject matter: shipbuilding, a craft that depends on the inherent qualities of wood, its strength and buoyancy. The social significance of this work is rich. Here we have an image produced through the industrialization of the print, portraying a royal figure engaging in manual labor. But, rather than depicting the hardship of labor, the scene romanticizes it. Note how the Tsar is surrounded by courtiers. Ultimately, by focusing on craft traditions and their portrayal in art, we can see how images serve as tools for shaping perceptions of labor, class, and national identity.