Jongen met muilezel en meisje met eieren en kippen verkopen hun goederen aan huis 1797

This print, made by Thomas Burke in the late 18th or early 19th century, is an engraving, a process involving meticulous carving into a metal plate. The technique allowed for detailed reproduction, making art accessible beyond the elite. Here, we see it applied to a scene of rural commerce: children selling eggs and chickens. The medium of engraving, with its capacity to replicate images, is inherently tied to the burgeoning market economy of the time. It democratized art while also documenting the everyday lives of those participating in this new economic order. The very act of producing such prints reflects a shift in artistic labor – from unique, handcrafted artworks to reproducible commodities. It's a tangible connection between art, labor, and the social context in which they're both made and consumed, blurring the line between art and craft.