Familie in een tuin met feestverlichting 1798 - 1811

Reinier Vinkeles made this print of a family in a garden, using engraving techniques. It’s all about lines – etched and cut into a metal plate, then inked and printed onto paper. Consider the labor involved. Each tiny line, each subtle curve, had to be meticulously carved. Vinkeles was a master of his tools, controlling pressure, angle, and depth to create light and shadow. Engraving was a reproductive medium, often used to disseminate images widely. This print may have been made for a book or a series, bringing scenes of domestic life to a broader audience. The composition is almost stage-like, the scene lit from the front. In an era of increasing consumerism, the print offered a glimpse into the world of leisure and luxury enjoyed by some. By focusing on the material process of engraving, we gain insight into its social context, and its function within the wider economy of image-making.