Heilig Grafkerk te Jeruzalem 1698 - 1700

Pieter Schenk made this print of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem around the turn of the 18th century. It is a carefully drawn image of the church’s rotunda, made through engraving, a printmaking technique that requires some serious skill. Schenk would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a copper plate. Ink is then applied to the plate, and wiped off the surface, remaining only in the carved lines. The plate is then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The crisp precision of the architectural details speaks to Schenk's mastery of this process. Look closely, and you can see how the linear quality of the engraving lends a sense of depth and volume to the dome and columns. Printmaking like this was not just a means of artistic expression, but a crucial method for disseminating information and visual culture in an era before photography. Schenk’s print allowed people in Europe to experience this important pilgrimage site, without ever leaving home. It also collapses any assumed hierarchy between art, craft, and commerce.