Titelpagina van het boekje: XXXVI. aartige figuuren, geinventeert door Izaak van Ostade tot Haarlem [1731-1732] 1731 - 1732

This title page to a book of figures by Izaak van Ostade, was printed in Haarlem around 1731-1732 by Izaak Enschedé. It is a modest thing, printed with moveable type on off-white paper. The real interest of this object lies in its process of production. Enschedé was a major figure in the history of printing. His family owned a firm which innovated in typography and printing technology for centuries. Here we see the end result of sophisticated labor practices, using specialized tools to produce a clean, repeatable impression. Of course, printing played a huge role in the distribution of information. This seemingly simple title page gives us a glimpse into the vast and complex network of labor, skill, and technology that underpins the circulation of images and ideas during the early modern period. Appreciating this context allows us to move beyond simply considering this as an image, inviting us to consider it as a product of industrial ingenuity.