Slapende man op bank met boek in zijn hand 1733 - 1797

François Lucas created this engraving, “Slapende man op bank met boek in zijn hand,” sometime in the mid-18th century. Engraving is an intaglio process, in which lines are incised into a metal plate, often copper, using a tool called a burin. The engraver then inks the plate, wipes away the excess, and runs it through a press with a sheet of paper. The pressure forces the paper into the inked lines, creating a print. This technique demands careful labor. The final image depends on the engraver’s skill in varying the lines’ depth and thickness to create tonal effects. The texture of the paper, and the pressure of the printing press, also influence the final product. Engraving flourished in this period because it could reproduce images accurately and in large quantities, serving both artistic and commercial purposes. In this case, Lucas used it to create a scene that critiques the leisure of the upper classes, perhaps hinting at the social tensions brewing in pre-revolutionary Europe. Appreciating the print requires that we consider all the work involved in its production, and the wider social context.