Onderschrift van de Festa della Sensa (eerste gedeelte) 1697

This is a section of a 16th-century print by Jost Amman, made using the intaglio technique. A metal plate, probably copper, was incised with lines, then inked and pressed onto paper. Look closely, and you can see the characteristic crispness of line that this process allows. The lines themselves are not just marks, but physical indentations into the metal. Think of the labor involved in meticulously cutting away at the plate with burins and other tools. This kind of printmaking was central to the spread of information in early modern Europe. In this case, Amman describes the Festa della Sensa, an important Venetian festival. But beyond the subject matter, consider how the print itself participated in a wider economy of production and consumption. Paying attention to the materials, the skilled labor, and the social context reveals the many layers of meaning embedded within this seemingly simple print. This challenges the traditional hierarchy that separates fine art from craft.