Engel in een kerkinterieur 1722 - 1784

Simon Fokke made this print, "Angel in a Church Interior," using etching and engraving techniques sometime in the 18th century. Look closely, and you'll notice the crisp, precise lines of the angel's robes, achieved through careful strokes of a burin. See how the texture of the church interior emerges from tiny, deliberate marks, creating a sense of depth and light. Fokke was a professional printmaker in Amsterdam, part of a highly developed commercial system. Prints like this one were essentially a proto-photographic medium, spreading images far and wide at a relatively low cost. This was labor-intensive work. Each line on the copperplate had to be manually inscribed, making skills of draftsmanship and technical expertise essential. By appreciating the immense work involved in this image production, we recognize the value and importance of craft in the art world.