Nieuwjaarsprent van de torenwachter van Leiden voor het jaar 1785 1784 - 1785

This New Year’s print, made in Leiden in 1785, was produced by an anonymous artist using etching, a printmaking technique. The image and text are formed by lines bitten into a metal plate with acid, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The detailed lines capture the architectural precision of the city’s tower and the typography of the text below, a New Year's greeting. The etching process allows for the reproduction of images and text in large quantities. This was essential for distributing information, celebrating civic pride, and reinforcing social bonds, particularly among the literate middle classes. Consider the labor involved: from the tower guard who commissioned the print, to the etcher who created the plate, to Anna Bouwman, the printer who distributed it from her shop. The print embodies the collaborative nature of urban life and the economic networks that sustained it. It's a reminder that art is not just about individual expression but also about the collective efforts that shape our world.