Vers bij de prent Dood en Cupido schieten elkaars pijlen af en oude man maakt jonge vrouw het hof, ca. 1707-1708 1595 - 1708

This page comes from an illustrated book made in the Netherlands around 1707-1708, printed by Abraham Allard. It’s a combination of letterpress and etching, a common pairing at the time. The etching shows allegorical figures of Death and Cupid exchanging arrows, while an old man attempts to woo a young woman. The etcher would have covered a copper plate with wax, then scratched away lines to create the image. The plate was then submerged in acid, biting away the exposed lines, which would then hold the ink. This was a highly reproducible medium. The press would have been operated by skilled laborers, and the book itself marketed to a relatively wealthy class of consumers. The satirical imagery and text speak to themes of mortality, desire, and social status, all of which were amplified by the book's physical existence as a commodity, made possible through the division of labor and the mechanics of production. In the end, understanding the book involves understanding its inherent status as a designed and fabricated object.