Elisabetta Farnese in het kraambed 1727

This print, made by Leonard Schenk around 1727, depicts Elisabetta Farnese in childbed. Schenk, an accomplished engraver, uses the technique of etching to bring this intimate moment of royal life to the public. The materiality of the print itself, made with etched lines on a metal plate, sharply contrasts with the opulence it portrays. Consider the labor: the precise work of the engraver, transforming a fleeting event into a reproducible image. Each line, each shadow, carefully etched, makes this image a symbol of both skilled craftsmanship and royal power. The stark black and white of the etching further emphasizes the visual narrative, drawing attention to the textures and details of the scene, from the elaborate bed hangings to the delicate lace of the queen’s attire. Prints like these were not just art, they were news, accessible records that blurred the lines between craft and mass media. Understanding the material process behind this image allows us to appreciate its role in shaping public perception and cultural memory.