Jacht 1760 - 1784

This print, made with engraving on paper, presents a hunting scene framed by an ornate floral wreath. Engraving is an intaglio printmaking technique where an image is incised onto a metal plate, often copper. The incised lines hold ink, and when pressed onto paper, create a detailed and precise image. The process demands skill, patience, and control over the tools. The engraver would have used a burin, a specialized cutting tool, to carve the design into the metal. The pressure and angle of the burin determine the depth and width of the lines, affecting the texture and tone of the final print. Engraving was a crucial method for reproducing images and disseminating information. The print's decorative subject hints at luxury goods for consumption. The act of making, and the material used, gives this work a social context, revealing the labor involved and the culture of consumption it catered to. By appreciating the making and the context, we understand how prints such as these blur the boundaries between craft, design, and art.