Allegori over skibsfarten 1760

Jean Frederic Herman made this print, *Allegory of seafaring*, sometime in the first half of the 18th century, with etching. The fine lines and details throughout the image are achieved by drawing with a sharp needle on a wax-covered metal plate, which is then submerged in acid, biting away the exposed lines. The plate is then inked and printed, leaving a raised impression on the paper. The choice of etching as a medium speaks to the growing importance of reproduction and dissemination of knowledge during this period. Allegories such as this one were often commissioned to celebrate commercial expansion. Here, the artist depicts the world as a resource to be mapped, measured, and managed. We see instruments of navigation and trade: globes, maps, and mathematical instruments. This print underscores the labor involved in seafaring, from the physical labor of sailors to the intellectual labor of mapmakers and merchants, all working towards the expansion of maritime trade. By focusing on the processes and materials involved in its creation, this print reveals the intersection of art, commerce, and the wider socio-economic context in which it was made.