Bijbelsche zinnebeelden voor de jeugd 1806 - 1830

Johan Noman created this print, ‘Biblical Emblems for the Youth’, using etching and engraving techniques. The intricate lines and details were achieved through the careful application of acid to a metal plate, followed by precise incisions made with a burin. This was painstaking work, requiring immense patience and control. The finished print then would have been reproduced in multiples, and it's this aspect that gives the print its social significance. It was specifically made ‘for the youth’, intended for mass consumption. The very act of printmaking implies a democratizing impulse, a move away from unique, handcrafted objects towards affordable, educational material. So, while Noman’s expertise as an engraver is clear, we should also consider the cultural and economic forces at play, recognizing this print not just as a work of art, but as a piece of early visual media.