De koningin bezoekt de gewonde prins te Brussel, 1815 1815 - 1816

This print, "The Queen visits the wounded prince in Brussels," was made around 1815 by Abraham Vinkeles. It is an engraving, a process by which an image is incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. The technique requires immense skill, with the artist using a tool called a burin to create lines that hold the ink. Look closely, and you'll see how the density and direction of these lines create the image's tonality and texture. This wasn't a solitary act of artistic genius, but part of a larger reproductive industry. Engravers were tradespeople who could disseminate imagery far and wide, allowing more people to have access to it. In this case, the print memorializes a specific moment of royal compassion, but more broadly, it reflects the power of visual media to shape public perception and cement social hierarchies. This artwork reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images are the product of complex labor, deeply embedded in their historical context.