Neptunus en de Venetiaanse stedenmaagd 1690

This print was made by Jacob Peeters in the late 17th century, employing the technique of engraving. Notice the dense network of lines; each one had to be manually cut into a metal plate, a labor-intensive process that demanded precision. The material result is a stark contrast of light and shadow, used here to depict a scene of mythological grandeur: Neptune, god of the sea, with the Venetian city maiden. But consider the social context of this image. Prints like these were produced in multiples, allowing for wide distribution. This speaks to the rise of a more commercialized art world, where images became commodities, and the engraver, like Peeters, was a skilled artisan operating within a capitalist system. The very act of engraving, with its demand for skilled labor, is also laden with social significance. The image's meaning isn't just in its iconography, but also in the many hours of work required to produce it, a testament to the engraver's craft, challenging any strict divide between art and artisanal production.