Overwonnen Turken knielen voor Leopold II 1684

This print, made by Romeyn de Hooghe, is an etching on paper. The process involves coating a metal plate with wax, drawing through it, and then bathing the plate in acid, which bites into the metal where exposed. The plate is then inked and printed, leaving fine, raised lines on the paper. The relatively small scale of the print is telling: etching allowed for detailed images to be reproduced efficiently, making them accessible to a wide audience. Here we see an historical scene presented as a triumph of European power, though the material reality of the print suggests a much wider distribution and consumption of this message. The labor involved in creating the artwork – the skilled hand of the etcher, the mechanics of the printing press – stands in stark contrast to the depicted scene of conquest and subjugation. Considering the material and mode of production helps us recognize the complex social and political contexts in which images like this circulated, challenging any simple notions of fine art versus propaganda.