Cartouche met gekroond wapenschild en opdracht aan Taddeo Barberini 1565 - 1630

This print was made by Antonio Tempesta around the turn of the 17th century, using etching and engraving. These are both printmaking techniques, where an image is incised into a metal plate, inked, and then pressed onto paper. The relatively fine lines and the details within the coat-of-arms suggest that Tempesta likely used a combination of these methods to create areas of tone and texture. See how the lines vary in thickness and depth to create a sense of depth and shadow? That would have taken a lot of time. This wasn’t just about artistic expression. Printmaking was a key technology of the era, used for everything from disseminating religious imagery to creating maps. This particular print is a dedication to Taddeo Barberini, a member of a powerful Roman family. The amount of work that went into it speaks to the social function of prints at the time. They were a means of circulating imagery, building relationships, and solidifying power. It shows how closely art and social life were intertwined.