Ruïne van Canopus en haven van Alexandrië 1803 - 1805

This print, "Ruin of Canopus and Port of Alexandria," was made by Reinier Vinkeles. The image is the result of a labor-intensive and highly skilled intaglio process, where lines are incised into a metal plate, likely copper, with a tool called a burin. Ink is then forced into these grooves, and the plate is pressed onto paper. The method allows for incredible detail, and precise control over light and shadow, as we see in the depiction of architectural ruins and a distant harbor. But more than just a picture, it's a document of a specific moment in time, when European artists were fascinated by classical antiquity, yet also implicated in colonial projects across the globe. The print is not just a picturesque view, but evidence of a wider system of power, trade, and knowledge production. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images are the products of complex social and historical forces.