Lijkstoet van koning Willem I in Berlijn, 1843 1844

This print at the Rijksmuseum depicts the funeral procession of King Willem I in Berlin, 1843, created anonymously. The stark contrasts of black ink on paper create a detailed scene; an example of the intaglio printmaking technique known as engraving. An engraver would have used a tool called a burin to manually cut lines into a metal plate. Ink is applied to the plate and then wiped clean, remaining only in the incised lines. The plate is pressed against paper, transferring the image. This method allowed for multiple impressions to be made, an efficient means of disseminating images to a wide audience, indicative of 19th-century industrialization and the growth of mass media. The labor-intensive process reflects the social context of the time, with skilled artisans contributing to the production of images for public consumption, playing a critical role in shaping public opinion, political discourse, and commemoration. This print demonstrates the fusion of artistry and industry.