Schepping van het licht 1579

Johann Sadeler I made this print, "Schepping van het licht," using the intaglio process, where lines are incised into a metal plate, then filled with ink and printed. The image shows the creation of light, with God floating above the Earth. Look closely at how the material of the print—the sharp lines and contrasts—shapes the meaning. It's a meticulous and laborious process, demanding great skill from the engraver, and it speaks to the cultural significance of printmaking in disseminating religious narratives during the late 16th century. Sadeler was part of a large, prolific family workshop, and prints like these were made in multiples for wide distribution. The labor and skill involved stand in contrast to the mass production of images, raising questions about the value of handcrafted work versus industrialized reproduction. This challenges any strict divide between craft and fine art, revealing the complex relationship between artistic skill, religious storytelling, and the economics of image production.