Ongelovige Tomas / Hemelvaart 1716 - 1791

This print, “Ongelovige Tomas / Hemelvaart” was made by Pieter Tanjé, most likely in the mid-18th century. It’s an engraving, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, and then printed onto paper. Consider the labor involved in this process. First, the artist needed to be skilled in draftsmanship, to create the design. Then, using specialized tools called burins, he would have painstakingly carved the lines into the metal. This was highly skilled, exacting work. The density of the lines would determine the areas of light and shadow, and the overall tonality of the image. After the engraving, the plate would be inked and pressed onto paper. In Tanjé’s time, prints like this were increasingly popular, because they could be made and sold at relatively low cost. This made images far more accessible to a wider public than paintings. Yet even as they became more commonplace, they remained objects of considerable craft. By understanding how it was made, we gain a new appreciation for the image’s fine detail and cultural significance.