Soldat Albanois, plate 78 from "Recueil de cent estampes représentent differentes nations du Levant" 1714 - 1715

This engraving, "Soldat Albanois," was made by Jean Baptiste Vanmour, who died in 1737. The image was produced by incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then running it through a printing press. Look closely at the thousands of tiny marks that comprise the image; they are a testament to the engraver's skill. While the copperplate engraving process is itself a refined craft, it is also deeply tied to social context. It’s one of the earliest forms of mass media. This print comes from a collection of one hundred such images, each depicting a different nation. In its time, the print helped to satisfy European interest in the Ottoman Empire. In the 18th century, Europe was eager to document the world, and the printing press enabled this ambition. It’s easy to see this artwork as purely representational. But considering the material and making of the print reminds us that it is also an artifact of labor, politics, and consumption.