Chinese magiërs en tovenaars 1728

This print, ‘Chinese Magicians and Sorcerers', was made by Bernard Picart around the turn of the 18th century. It's an engraving, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate, which was then inked and printed onto paper. Engraving, like other printmaking techniques, was a key technology in the early modern period. It allowed images to be reproduced and disseminated widely, playing a crucial role in the circulation of knowledge and ideas. Picart, in particular, was known for his skill in capturing intricate details and textures through the precise lines of the engraving. Here, those lines help to represent what Europeans imagined about China. The figures are shown in exotic settings, engaged in mysterious practices, and it is through the physical act of engraving that these orientalist fantasies were made tangible and accessible to a European audience, contributing to the construction of cultural stereotypes.