Venus doet een blinddoek om bij Cupido 1761 - 1769

This print, Venus Blinding Cupid, was made by Robert Strange, probably in the 1760s. He trained as an engraver, a highly skilled activity, requiring years of practice to master. Look closely, and you’ll see that the image is made up of thousands of tiny lines incised into a copper plate. The plate is then inked, and the ink caught in those lines is transferred to paper in a press. It’s a laborious process, and a very indirect one. The image only appears at the very end of a long chain of activity. These prints were luxury goods in their day, a means of circulating imagery to an audience that was increasingly hungry for art. Strange was unusual for an engraver, in that he insisted on signing his prints, just like a painter. In doing so, he elevated the status of his craft, helping it towards the status of fine art. And, of course, making sure he got proper credit for all that hard work.