De landvoogd achtervolgt Lucretia 1700 - 1759

This print, "The governor stalks Lucretia," was made by Jan Wandelaar in the 18th century, using engraving, a process of cutting lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. Engraving is a skilled craft, demanding precision and control. The fine lines, cross-hatching, and tonal variations you see are achieved by varying the depth and density of the engraved lines. Look closely, and you can almost feel the burin, the engraving tool, slicing through the metal. This was an age of burgeoning print culture, and engravings such as this one were made to be distributed widely. The labor is all in the making of the plate; once complete, many impressions could be made. The visual result is sharp and detailed, but also graphic and stylized. Consider how these qualities affect the overall impact of the scene depicted. It is easy to think of prints like this as just reproductions, but remember, they had a social life all their own, separate from the images they depict. This work reflects a society increasingly engaged with the mass distribution of images and ideas.