Repetitive pattern in white and greys on a black ground; stylised flowers, fruit [...] 1703 - 1712

This pattern of stylized flowers and fruits was created by Daniël Marot. The design, rendered in white and grey on a black ground, has been meticulously realized through engraving. The character of this print emerges directly from the nature of that process. Imagine the artist carefully cutting into a metal plate, the pressure of the burin against the copper, and the skill required to produce these intricate, repeating forms. The density of the linework creates subtle gradations of tone, giving the pattern depth and texture. Marot was a designer as much as an artist, and his prints were intended as inspiration for other makers - weavers, furniture makers, and interior decorators. The making of luxury goods at this time was highly specialized, with labor divided amongst many hands. This image is just one step in a long chain of production and consumption. By attending to these prints, we can look beyond traditional notions of artistic genius and appreciate the wider world of making that they helped to shape.