Offer van Kaïn en Abel c. 1530

This is ‘The Sacrifice of Cain and Abel’ by Jan Wellens de Cock, made around the early 16th century, and it's a woodcut, then carefully hand-colored. The image is a testament to the labor-intensive processes of early printmaking. First, the design was meticulously carved into a block of wood, a skill requiring precision and patience. Then, each print was made by applying ink to the block and pressing it onto paper. Finally, artisans would add color by hand, as we see here, bringing the scene to life with delicate washes. Consider the social context: in de Cock's time, printmaking was a relatively new technology, making images more accessible to a wider audience. Yet, the hand-coloring reminds us that even in this era of mechanical reproduction, the human touch remained essential. It is through this combination of craft and technology that the image acquires its full meaning, blurring the lines between art and industry.