Knave (Moroab from Morocco), from "Court Game of Geography" 1838 - 1855

This is "Knave (Moroab from Morocco)", a playing card made by William and Henry Rock in the 19th century. The image is rendered through engraving, a printmaking technique that demands precision and control. Look closely, and you'll notice how the network of finely incised lines defines the figure. It transforms a flat surface into a wealth of visual information. Consider the social context, too. This card was part of a "Court Game of Geography," reflecting the Victorian era’s fascination with faraway lands. The card reduces an entire culture into a single figure: a man smoking a long pipe. Engraving was then a key part of mass media, used to circulate images, ideas, and stereotypes. While seemingly worlds away from our own digital image culture, this playing card reminds us how art and craft are inextricably linked to labor, politics, and the consumption of cultural imagery.