Kaartend gezelschap 1845 - 1908

This print, titled 'Kaartend gezelschap', or 'Card Playing Company', was made by an anonymous artist using engraving. The medium dictates the form: etched lines creating tonal variation, depth and texture. Engraving is an intaglio process; the design is incised into a metal plate, ink is applied, and then the surface is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. The plate is then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The technique demands precision, skill, and time, and the resulting prints were often luxury items, circulated among a discerning audience. The image depicts an interior scene of leisure and social interaction, perhaps illustrating the rituals of courtly life, or providing a commentary on the moral implications of gambling. Whatever narrative is being told, the mode of its production and circulation speaks to wider social issues of labor, class, and the consumption of luxury goods. The print's value lies not only in its aesthetic qualities, but also in its connection to histories of creative practice beyond fine art, connecting it to labor and society at large.