Bloemen 1828 - 1913

This is a print made by Erve Wijsmuller in Amsterdam; its date is unknown. Named ‘Bloemen,’ it means ‘flowers’ in Dutch. The printmaking process is key to understanding this image. Notice how each flower is delineated with sharp, clean lines, and set against a blank background. The technique is likely woodcut, a relief process where the areas around the lines are carved away, leaving a raised surface to be inked and printed. Woodcut is a relatively accessible technique, which democratized image-making in the early modern period. Prints like these circulated widely, and served as models for artisans. Imagine an embroiderer, a ceramic painter, or a furniture maker using this sheet as inspiration. The individual flowers are neatly organized on the page, and there is a sense of efficient production – the same sensibility that animated the Dutch mercantile empire. So, while the image celebrates the beauty of nature, it also reflects a distinctly commercial culture, where art and design were thoroughly intertwined.