De Eerste Grote Vergadering, 1651 1782 - 1784

Simon Fokke made this print, De Eerste Grote Vergadering, sometime between 1712 and 1784, using an engraving technique. Lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The image shows the first assembly in 1651, an important moment in Dutch history. What interests me is how the printmaking process itself, with its reliance on skilled labor and mechanical reproduction, mirrors the very society depicted. Look closely, and you'll see the flags, the architecture, the figures – all rendered through the precise, repetitive action of the engraver's hand. Each line, each mark, speaks to the labor involved in both the depicted event and the creation of the artwork itself. By understanding the material process, we can see how this print not only represents a historical moment, but also embodies the social and economic forces at play in 18th-century Netherlands. The artist’s craft invites reflection on the history being presented.