Taste 1635 - 1638

Abraham Bosse made this print, "Taste," using engraving, a technique of incising lines into a metal plate to hold ink. Bosse was a master of this process, and also wrote a manual about it, effectively standardizing its practice. Here, he's used engraving to depict a scene of upper-class indulgence. Note the finery of the clothing, the abundance of food, and even the tapestry in the background, all meticulously rendered through the labor-intensive process of engraving. Look closely, and you'll notice the sharp, precise lines that define every detail, from the folds of the fabric to the texture of the food. The rigid lines and structured format reflect the formality and social hierarchy of the scene. The print serves as a record of elite culture, while at the same time, bearing witness to the labor required to produce both the image and the lifestyle it portrays. Ultimately, "Taste" reminds us that every object, every image, is the product of human effort, deeply embedded in its social and economic context.