Gezicht op de Rijn bij Andernach Possibly 1770 - 1818

This print, "Gezicht op de Rijn bij Andernach," or "View of the Rhine at Andernach," was made with an engraving technique by an anonymous artist. Engraving is an intaglio process, which involves cutting lines into a metal plate, filling them with ink, and then pressing paper against the plate with considerable force. Look closely, and you’ll notice that the image is constructed from many tiny lines, each one carefully incised. This would have taken not only physical strength, but immense patience and skill. The final image gives us a view of boats traveling down a river next to a cityscape. Engravings like this were often made for print, to be reproduced and distributed, which democratized art for the public. We can consider this print as not just a picture, but also as a product of labor, skill, and a network of distribution. Recognizing these aspects of making helps us appreciate the image in a new light, as both art and object.