Koperplaat met een kaart van het Nieuwe Diep 1787

This is a copper plate, made by Leonardus Schenk Jansz in the 18th century, intended for printing a map of the Nieuwe Diep. The plate itself is quite large, nearly a meter wide, which indicates the scale of the intended map. Copper was a favored material for printmaking due to its malleability and ability to hold fine detail. The process would have involved meticulously engraving the map's design into the copper surface, a labor-intensive task requiring great skill. Think about the engraver, hunched over this plate, carefully incising lines that would eventually guide the ink, and reproduce the image. The inherent qualities of the copper—its weight, its cool, smooth surface—would have been intimately known to the artist. The resulting prints would have served practical purposes, aiding navigation and trade, but the plate itself is also a testament to the artistry and craft involved in early mapmaking. It blurs the boundaries between functional object and artwork, reminding us of the value inherent in skilled handwork.