Arrival of the Ambassadors at the Royal Palace in Rijswijk, 1697 1697

Curator: This print, "Arrival of the Ambassadors at the Royal Palace in Rijswijk, 1697," by Adriaen Schoonebeek, made with engraving techniques, is intriguing. What's your initial response? Editor: It’s so detailed! You can see every carriage, every little figure in the procession. It almost feels like a photograph capturing a very important event. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, considering it’s an engraving, the means of production are crucial to understanding it. Schoonebeek’s labor is front and center here. He carefully incised lines to create a reproducible image documenting this political moment. How do you think the materials used might impact the reading of the image? Editor: I see your point. The fact that it’s a print, something reproducible, means it was intended for wider distribution than a unique painting, right? Curator: Exactly. Think about it: the printing process makes this event accessible, a form of early media shaping public perception. What social forces do you think were at play regarding the production of an image such as this? Editor: Maybe it’s a form of political PR? Displaying power and grandeur through this meticulous engraving highlights the significance of the peace treaty. The materials of the city are a subtle reinforcement of the event. Curator: Precisely. And the engraving’s existence is inseparable from the materials used – the metal plate, the ink, the paper – and the social and economic systems that made its production and distribution possible. Its form reflects an implicit commentary on the structures and practices which facilitate global interaction. Editor: So, it's not just about the treaty, but about how that historical moment was manufactured, disseminated, and consumed by the public through printmaking. I never really thought of it that way before! Curator: Absolutely. Materiality matters!