Tijdens een offerande wordt Numa door Ceres beloond 1786

Jean Dambrun created this print, "Tijdens een offerande wordt Numa door Ceres beloond," using etching and engraving techniques. The density of lines creating the scene speak to the amount of labor involved in this traditional method of image-making. Look closely, and you can almost feel the incised lines in the paper made by the engraver’s tools. These lines hold ink, which, when pressed onto paper, create the image we see here. The quality of the line—crisp in some areas, softer in others—shows the range of marks achievable through skillful handling of tools and materials. Such prints were relatively inexpensive to produce, therefore circulating ideas widely during Dambrun’s time. In this case, the image depicts Numa being rewarded by Ceres during a sacrifice, thus illustrating a historical narrative and a cultural scene. Next time you encounter a print, consider it as a product of skilled labor and a conduit for the circulation of stories. Appreciating the making of it helps us move beyond just the image itself.