Schip neemt deel aan een gevecht voor de kust 1717 - 1732

Pieter van den Berge made this print of a naval battle around the turn of the 18th century. It’s an etching, meaning that the artist would have coated a metal plate with wax, drawn his composition into that surface, and then bathed it in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, leaving behind fine grooves. The process yields a wealth of linear detail, ideal for depicting the busy scene before us. Yet this method wasn't just a means of artistic expression. Printmaking was also a key technology for circulating information in the early modern period. News of battles, like this one, spread quickly because images could be reproduced and disseminated widely. Consider the skill involved in this production. The printmaker's labor, like that of the sailors and soldiers depicted, was vital to the political and economic ambitions of the Dutch Republic. The image reminds us that art and craft were deeply embedded in the social and political realities of the time.