Macht van de koning 1595 - 1643

This print, "Macht van de koning," or "The Power of the King," was created by Zacharias Dolendo around the turn of the 17th century using engraving. The lines are carefully etched into a metal plate, likely copper, and then inked and printed onto paper. Engraving, unlike drawing or painting, is an indirect process. It requires tools and expertise, a specialized division of labor. The act of making the print gives it cultural significance. Each line is a deliberate mark of authority and skill, mirroring the depicted King's power and the social hierarchies that sustain it. Notice the intense labor in the scene, too – people mining, forging, and carrying. These activities are translated into the artist's labor, the painstaking work on the plate, alluding to larger social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. By understanding the materials, the making, and the context of this print, we move beyond seeing it as just an image. We recognize it as a product of its time, reflecting the economic and social structures that shaped its creation.