Tuinvaas met drie monogrammen op een balustrade 1690 - 1710

This print by Gerrit Visscher depicts a garden vase on a balustrade. The vase and architectural setting were achieved using the intaglio printmaking technique. It's a process where an image is incised into a plate, often copper, which then holds ink for transfer to paper. Looking closely, you see the fine lines that define form and shadow. The engraver's skill is evident in the precise execution of the vase’s ornate details and the architectural elements. Engraving is laborious. Each line you see had to be physically cut into the metal by hand. This wasn't just a means of reproduction; it was also a creative act shaping the final image. The choice of engraving elevates a common garden object to a symbol of status and artistic value. By focusing on process, we see how the status of the object and the skilled labor invested in its representation challenge easy distinctions between the decorative and the fine arts.