Jong paar met oesters 1670 - 1724

Jacob Gole created this engraving, "Young Couple with Oysters," around the turn of the 18th century. Engraving is an intaglio process, meaning that the image is incised into a metal plate, in this case likely copper. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the engraved lines. High pressure is required to force the paper into the inked lines, transferring the image. The sharp, precise lines create a crisp image, ideal for capturing the scene’s details: the clothing, facial expressions, and of course, the oysters themselves. Consider the labor involved; each line meticulously carved by hand. In its time, this print would have been relatively affordable, bringing imagery into the homes of a growing middle class. The oyster shells, casually discarded on the table, speak to both a moment of pleasure, and a burgeoning culture of consumption. By appreciating the making of this image, and the social context in which it was produced, we can move beyond simply seeing, and truly understand.