Smaak

Bernard Picart made this print, Smaak, using engraving, a process of incising lines into a metal plate, likely copper, to hold ink. The stark contrast between the lines and the blank paper creates a crisp, graphic quality. Look at how Picart uses densely packed lines to build up shadow and volume, giving the figures and landscape a tangible presence, despite the print's small scale. The fineness of the lines also allows for intricate detail, from the elaborate costumes of the figures to the distant landscape. But consider also the labor involved in the production of prints like this, produced to meet a growing demand among the rising middle class. It speaks volumes about the circulation of images and ideas in the 18th century, and how artistic skill was harnessed within a larger system of production and consumption.