Civilis en Cerialis onderhandelen op de afgebroken brug, 69-70 1880s

Edouard Dujardin created this print depicting Civilis and Cerialis negotiating on the broken bridge using an engraving technique. The linear quality of the print draws our attention to the ways in which the artist was able to create detail in the characters’ garments. The engraving process—cutting lines into a metal plate, inking the surface, and then transferring the ink onto paper—results in a crisp, graphic quality. The artist is able to capture the details in the figures’ clothing, highlighting the markers of status and power. Prints like this one were relatively inexpensive to produce and distribute, making them accessible to a wide audience. This allowed for the dissemination of images and ideas, contributing to the formation of public opinion, and reflecting the social and political context in which it was made. By focusing on the materials, process, and social context of this print, we can better understand its significance as a work of art and its relationship to the wider world.