Vignette Showing Britannia, Neptune, France and Sea Battle 1778

This print, made with engraved lines on a metal plate, dates to 1778. Engraving is an exacting process. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to cut lines into the metal. Ink is then applied to the plate and wiped away, remaining only in the incised lines. The image is then transferred to paper under high pressure in a printing press. In this case, the design commemorates a naval battle involving Britannia, France, and Neptune. What’s most interesting to me is how this process mirrors the naval conflict it depicts: the way one thing presses against another, leaving a permanent mark. The method itself is assertive, even combative, reflecting the tensions of the time. This vignette serves as a potent reminder that even seemingly simple prints can carry complex social and political weight, challenging our understanding of the relationship between art, craft, and the wider world.