Bybelsche figuren van het Oude Testament c. 1760 - 1767

This illustrated broadsheet, titled "Bybelsche figuren van het Oude Testament", or Biblical figures from the Old Testament, was made in Amsterdam by J. Ratelband and J. Bouwer. It's a woodcut, a process where an image is carved into a block of wood, inked, and then printed onto paper. Woodcuts are a relatively simple and inexpensive way to reproduce images, making them ideal for mass production. The material itself, wood, is readily available and the tools required are basic. Look closely, and you can see the marks left by the carving tools, giving the print a bold, graphic quality. The addition of color, likely applied by hand, adds another layer of visual interest. The choice of this medium speaks to the broadsheet’s purpose: to disseminate biblical stories to a wide audience. Unlike the fine art of painting, woodcuts were accessible and affordable, bridging the gap between religious instruction and popular culture. The labor involved in creating this print – the carving, inking, and printing – reflects the industriousness of the printing trade and its role in shaping public understanding of religious narratives.