Portretten van de courtisanes genaamd Schone Ifken van Purmerend en Bes Jans van Wormer 1635

Crispijn van de Passe the Younger made these engravings of two women, Ifken van Purmerend and Bes Jans van Wormer, using metal plates and acid etching. He would have meticulously cut lines into a prepared copper plate, which was then submerged in acid. This bites into the metal, creating grooves that hold ink, and when pressed onto paper, the image is transferred. But the choice of printmaking as a medium is really the key here. It made these images of sex workers accessible to a broad audience, circulating their likenesses in a way that amplified the moral commentary surrounding their profession. The text accompanying the portraits further emphasizes this point, offering gossipy details about their lives and ‘courtly tricks.’ Van de Passe was not only an artist but also a savvy businessman. He understood the power of reproductive technologies to both disseminate information and capitalize on popular interest, blurring the lines between art, commerce, and social critique. Ultimately, these prints are a reminder that art is never created in a vacuum. It is always intertwined with the social, economic, and technological forces of its time.