Blad over de penning uitgereikt door J.A. Roth aan de Amsterdamse schutterij, 1784 1784

This print was made anonymously in 1784, and commemorates a medal given to the Amsterdam civil guard. The relatively humble technique of printing has been used here to celebrate an act of civic virtue: the presentation of a silver medal to the civil guard by Captain J. A. de Roth. Consider the labor involved in the production of this print: from the making of paper, to the cutting of letterpress, to the choreography of the printing press. This was a complex, highly organized set of tasks. Yet the final result is deliberately simple. The print would have originally been distributed widely, and this speaks to its social function. This wasn't an artwork intended for an elite audience. Instead, it was meant to spread a message of patriotism and civic duty amongst a broad swathe of the population. By understanding the materials, the making, and the context of this print, we can grasp its full meaning.