Dronkenschap van Noach 1645 - 1646

This print, titled "Dronkenschap van Noach" or "The Drunkenness of Noah", was made by Christoffel van Sichem II. We don't know the precise date it was made, but it was most likely during the first half of the 17th century. It is a woodcut, a relief printing technique in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed. The stark contrast between the dark lines and the untouched paper gives the scene a dramatic intensity. The labor-intensive carving process, where every line is carefully etched away, speaks to a time when image production was a slow, deliberate craft. The story depicted, Noah's drunken exposure and his sons' reactions, serves as a reminder of human frailty. But consider, too, the labor involved in producing and distributing such prints. Each one carries with it not just the artist's skill, but also the hands of the papermakers, the ink mixers, and the print sellers who brought it to the wider world. It underscores the importance of seeing art not just as an aesthetic creation, but as a product of social and economic forces.