Personificatie van de stad Rome 1693

Adriaen Schoonebeek made this print of the personification of the city of Rome around 1700. He used an engraving technique, working lines into a metal plate with a tool called a burin, then inking and printing it. The material quality of this print—its line-based aesthetic—allowed for a very distinctive means of conveying information. The print is filled with details about Rome’s greatness, including it's architecture and the spoils of its victories. The line work gives the print a dense feeling, yet each allegorical element is rendered with clarity. Prints like these, with their linear character and sharp contrast, were the ideal medium for widespread dissemination of information. Schoonebeek was working at a time when printmaking was becoming increasingly important to the wider world. This print is a testament to the power of the printed image, and the labor involved in producing it.