Beleg van Vredenburg, 1577 c. 1577 - 1579

Frans Hogenberg’s ‘Beleg van Vredenburg’ made in 1577, presents the siege of Vredenburg castle through the precise lines of an engraving. This printmaking technique, a world away from gestural painting or modeling in clay, involves meticulous labor. Lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The sharpness of the lines, and the level of detail, speaks to Hogenberg’s skill as a draughtsman and the engraver’s expertise. Engraving like this was crucial for disseminating information in early modern Europe. Think of it as the printing press applied to images, allowing current events to be shared widely. Looking closely, you’ll see the marks of the engraver’s tools, each line a testament to the handwork involved in bringing this historical moment to a broader audience. Ultimately, the value of Hogenberg's image lies not only in its artistic qualities, but also in its function as a means of mass communication.