Titelpagina voor de Europische Mercurius van 1714 1714

This title page for the Europische Mercurius of 1714, now in the Rijksmuseum, was made using engraving, a printmaking technique that requires a highly skilled hand. The design is etched into a metal plate, likely copper, with a tool called a burin, creating grooves that hold ink. The resulting print reflects the engraver's meticulous labor. Notice the fineness of the lines, creating tonal variation and intricate detail, from the figures' clothing to the billowing clouds and the lettering itself. Engraving was a laborious process, demanding precision and control. It was also a commercial art; prints like these disseminated news and ideas widely, playing a role in the burgeoning public sphere of the 18th century. Consider the sheer work involved in producing not just this image, but potentially thousands of impressions. Paying attention to the material and the making allows us to consider the wider social and economic context in which this image was created.