Goten 1712 - 1714

This print, titled "Goth," was made by an anonymous artist using engraving techniques. The linear precision achieved through the incising of lines into a metal plate speaks to the skill involved. Here, the material of the print—paper—influences its appearance, lending a stark contrast to the dark lines of the engraving. The process involved transferring an image onto a metal plate, then using a tool called a burin to carve lines into the metal. Ink would then be applied, and the plate pressed onto paper, resulting in the final print. Engraving was a meticulous craft often tied to commercial production, used for illustrations in books or dissemination of imagery. The degree of work involved, from the initial design to the printing process, reflects the economic structures of the time. The print straddles the line between craft and art, inviting us to consider the labor and social context embedded within its creation.