A soldier carrying his pike at the slope, from the Lansquenets series, plate 11, in Waffenhandlung von den Rören Musquetten undt Spiessen / Wapenhandelinghe van Roers Musquetten ende Spiessen (The Exercise of Arms) 1608

This is an engraving by Jacques de Gheyn II, made around the turn of the 17th century, of a soldier carrying his pike. It is made from ink on paper. Engraving is an intensive process. It requires the artist to use a tool called a burin to carve lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. The result here is a crisp, precise image, ideal for illustrating the details of military equipment. But think about the labor involved, not just for de Gheyn, but for the armourers and tailors who made the soldier’s gear. Each plate in his armor had to be hammered and polished, each stitch carefully sewn. De Gheyn’s decision to depict a soldier in such detail speaks to the growing importance of military power in early modern Europe, and of the skilled labor required to create the tools of war. This print not only showcases the soldier's gear, but also the economic and social systems that supported it. So, next time you look at a print, remember to consider the processes involved in its creation, and the social context that shaped its meaning.