Beleg van Bommel, 1599 1599 - 1601

Frans Hogenberg created this print, Beleg van Bommel, in 1599. The printmaking process begins with an image being etched into a metal plate, inked, and then pressed onto paper. Here, the fineness of the engraved lines allows for incredible detail, bringing the 16th-century siege to life. But this isn’t just a neutral record. Look closely, and you’ll see how the very act of production influences the image. Printmaking was an essentially reproducible medium, ideal for distributing political messaging. In this case, the map becomes a kind of propaganda, celebrating military strategy and technological prowess. The print also speaks to the social context of its making. The labor-intensive process of engraving demanded skilled artisans, who were themselves part of a complex network of workshops and publishers. By understanding the materials and processes involved, we recognize how deeply this image is embedded in the economic and political realities of its time, collapsing any distinction between art, craft, and document.