Blad met vier bijbelse taferelen 1794

This print, made by Theodoor Koning in the late 18th or early 19th century, presents four biblical scenes. It’s a great example of engraving, a printmaking process reliant on the burin, a specialized tool used to incise lines directly into a metal plate. Engraving demands considerable skill. The artist must apply just the right amount of pressure to create lines of varying depth and thickness, which ultimately define the image. The density of these lines creates shading and tonal variation. Look closely, and you can appreciate the control Koning had over his burin. Engravings like this were highly reproducible, a critical factor in their social significance. They facilitated the broad distribution of religious and moral narratives to a wide audience, influencing social values and behaviors. This print reflects the period's investment in disseminating religious knowledge, utilizing a mechanical process to reach a broader audience. So while it may appear to be just an image, the print is also an index of its own means of production, and the social context in which it circulated.