Gezicht op een brug bij Hamelen 1839

This print, ‘View of a Bridge near Hamelin,’ was made by Friedrich Johann Foltz, who was born in 1817. The process here is key to understanding this artwork. Look closely, and you’ll see this isn’t a drawing or painting, but a print. Making prints like this involves a very different kind of labor than creating a unique artwork, like a drawing. A printmaker has to be incredibly precise and controlled. The image has a stark tonal contrast, a product of the engraving process that allows the artist to create multiple copies of the same scene. Before photography, that was the only way to create an image that could be widely disseminated. The print is a testament to the skill and craft of Foltz. By understanding this, we appreciate how the work’s material and process deeply influence its appearance and its cultural significance.