Man benadert een naaister 1555 - 1631

This engraving shows a man approaching a seamstress. It's made with fine lines incised into a copper plate, then printed onto paper. The image's power lies in the contrast between the delicate, precise lines used to depict the figures and the rather coarse scene that's unfolding. The seamstress, clutching her needle and thread, is interrupted in her labour by a man who appears to be forcing himself on her. Engraving was a skilled trade, demanding years of apprenticeship, but it also served as a medium for spreading popular imagery. Here, it’s put to use to comment on the social dynamics of labor, class, and perhaps even gender relations. The very act of depicting this encounter, through the painstaking process of engraving, elevates it to a subject worthy of attention. So, next time you see an engraving, remember it’s not just about the image, but about the labor, the social context, and the stories that materials can tell us.