Portret van de Moabitische Ruth Possibly 1610 - 1654

This is an engraving of Ruth from the Book of Ruth, dating back to the 17th or 18th century. The original would have been made by a skilled printmaker, trained in the use of sharp tools to incise lines into a metal plate. Consider how the varying thickness and density of lines create shading and define the form. The process required careful planning and execution, as any mistake would be difficult to correct. Prints like this one were relatively inexpensive, and were produced in large numbers, making images and texts accessible to a wider audience. They were often bound into books, as in this case. The artist and publisher were participating in an increasingly sophisticated system of production and consumption. This simple yet effective print demonstrates how the inherent qualities of the engraving process can imbue an artwork with social and cultural significance. It reminds us of the labor, politics, and the act of consumption that went into its creation.