Stamboom van het Habsburgse huis (bovenste blad) 1740 - 1760

This family tree of the House of Habsburg was produced anonymously as a print on paper. The key here is the printing process itself. To create this image, an artist or skilled artisan carefully incised lines into a metal plate, likely copper. Ink was then applied, the surface wiped clean, and the image transferred to paper under immense pressure using a printing press. This process allowed for the relatively quick and cheap reproduction of images. Consider the social implications: it democratized access to imagery, fostering a wider sense of shared culture and, in this case, visually reinforcing the power and lineage of a ruling dynasty. This wasn't just a means of artistic expression; it was a tool of mass communication, subtly shaping perceptions and solidifying the Habsburgs' place in the European imagination. By focusing on the material and the making, we move beyond a simple family portrait to understanding the wider societal forces at play.