Verovering van het fort Sint-Marie, 1831 1831

This print, made in 1831 by an anonymous artist, shows the conquest of Fort Sint-Marie, using etching or engraving, both printmaking techniques that rely on the controlled erosion of a metal plate. Consider the material process involved: the artist would have painstakingly scratched an image into a metal plate, line by line. These lines then hold ink, which is transferred to paper under great pressure. The printmaking process lends itself to dissemination and propaganda. In this case, we see a martial subject, idealizing the Dutch sailors, in what was likely a popular and affordable format. It speaks of labor, politics, and consumption through its very means of production. The print medium made this image accessible. We can appreciate how its materiality and the social context of its production are crucial to understanding its full meaning.