De Kabeljauwen verdreven uit Amsterdam, 1444 1782 - 1784

Simon Fokke made this print, "The Cod Ejected from Amsterdam," sometime in the 18th century, using etching. This process involves covering a metal plate with a waxy ground, scratching an image into it, and then submerging the plate in acid, which bites away the exposed lines. In this instance, etching allows for intricate detail, capturing the tension of a political event from centuries before Fokke's time. It shows the banishment of the "Kabeljauwen" or "Codfish," a political faction, from Amsterdam in 1444. Note how the method of production—etching—enables the widespread dissemination of this historical narrative. Prints like these were relatively inexpensive, a means of circulating stories and solidifying cultural memory in a growingly literate society. It’s important to remember that images like this reflect both artistic skill and broader forces of labor, politics, and consumption. The work’s value resides not only in its aesthetic qualities but also in its role as a historical artifact, shaped by and contributing to its time.