Doorbraak van een dam Possibly 1677 - 1696

This print, titled "Doorbraak van een dam," shows the flooding of the Foglia river in Pesaro, Italy in August 1695. It was made with an engraving technique, likely on a copper plate. The dense network of fine lines creates the scene and all its textures. Look closely, and you'll notice how the printmaker varies the marks to depict everything from the churning water to the solid structures of the broken dam, boats, and debris. This type of print was a key means of disseminating information widely; mass production would allow for broad distribution. The engraver's hand transforms the disaster into an image, but also highlights its disruptive effects on life and commerce. Notice how the technique of engraving, with its capacity for detailed rendering, is here put to the service of communicating a very real, and very destructive event. It's a reminder that even in the pre-industrial era, the need to record and distribute information was paramount, shaping artistic practice.