Gezicht op haven waar arbeiders een galeischip bevoorraden 1720 - 1754

Jacques Rigaud created this print, *View of a Harbor with Workers Supplying a Galley*, using etching and engraving, sometime around the mid-18th century. The visual language of printmaking – the delicate lines, the contrast of light and shadow – is here put to the service of depicting labor. Look closely and you'll see the figures are engaged in the strenuous work of loading supplies onto the ship. The print captures a moment in the bustling activity of a maritime economy, but also hints at the social and economic structures that underpin it. Rigaud's choice of printmaking is itself significant. As a medium, prints were relatively inexpensive, allowing images to circulate widely. In this case, the very technique used to produce the artwork echoes the broader themes of production and consumption it depicts. By focusing on the materials, the making, and the context, we can appreciate how this print blurs the boundaries between fine art and social commentary.