Prins van Oranje leidt de Nederlandse troepen bij Quatre-Bras, 1815 1815 - 1818

This print, made in 1815 by an anonymous artist, shows the Prince of Orange leading Dutch troops at the Battle of Quatre-Bras. The printmaking process is crucial here. Typically, a design is etched or engraved into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The fineness of the lines suggests this was an engraving, a painstaking process requiring intense concentration. Look closely, and you’ll see how the artist used varying densities of line to create tone and depth. Prints like this were relatively inexpensive, which helped to spread patriotic messages widely. The medium allowed for mass production, turning heroic images into commodities. Consider the labor involved: the engraver’s skill, the printer’s craft, and the network of distribution that brought this image to the public. By focusing on the material and making, we see how this print functioned not just as art, but as a piece of propaganda, shaping public opinion in a time of war.