Langs de vaart opgestelde en vurende gilden van Brussel en Antwerpen en de wijken van Brussel, 1577 1577 - 1578

This print was made by Antoni van Leest in 1577, and it depicts armed guildsmen and members of the Brussels districts along a canal. It's a woodcut, meaning the artist carved away the negative space from a block of wood, leaving only the lines to be printed. The nature of the woodcut affects the image we see, with the linear marks giving texture and depth. Notice how the density and direction of the marks create shading and volume in the figures and architecture. The process relies on the skilled hand of the artist, who has to physically carve each line, but it also allows for relatively quick reproduction. In this case, that capacity was put in the service of civic identity, a bold statement made in defense of the city. This image reminds us that even in what we call fine art, the means of production carries meaning. The amount of labor required, and the material itself, speak to the social and cultural context in which the artwork was made.