Jacobus II gaat in Waterford aan boord van een schip naar Frankrijk, 1690 1711

This print, made by an anonymous artist around 1690, depicts James II embarking for France, and it offers insight into the power dynamics of the time through its very making. The technique here is etching, a printmaking method dependent on acid to bite lines into a metal plate. This requires a high degree of craft skill – the plate must be carefully prepared, the design precisely drawn, and the immersion in acid carefully controlled. Note the fine, wiry quality of the lines, and the way they create a sense of depth and shadow. Yet, etching allowed for the relatively quick production of multiple images, serving as a tool for disseminating political messages, and shaping public opinion. In this image, the decision to portray James II in flight hints at a subtle critique, mirroring the wider social and political debates circulating at the time. Ultimately, this print reminds us that even seemingly simple images are laden with meaning, both in their subject matter, and in the processes that brought them into being.