Penning op het overlijden van Joan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol, 1784 1784

This print was made in 1784 by Hendrik Leffert Meyling as a memorial to Joan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol. The printmaking process is crucial to understanding its impact. Engraving and etching are intaglio techniques, where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. This allows for the relatively quick reproduction of images, making them accessible to a wider audience. The clean, precise lines of the engraving lend a formal quality to the portrait of Capellen, who advocated for democratic reforms in the Dutch Republic. The allegorical scene on the right, also rendered with meticulous detail, shows a figure representing the Dutch spirit, referencing classical antiquity but printed by an engraver who was surely working for commercial purposes. By understanding the processes and social context in which prints like this were made, we gain insight into how visual media shaped public opinion during a time of political upheaval. The relatively low cost of printmaking also contrasts with the work's subject matter, which makes us consider issues of labor, politics, and consumption.