Dit is 't geselschap na de zwier; Mansingt, men pronkt, men mackt goet Cier 1732

This print was made in Amsterdam in 1734 by the widow of Gijsbert de Groot, a bookseller. The printmaking process would have involved carving an image into a block of wood, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper, a technique known as woodcut. It’s a relatively simple way to produce multiple copies, making printed images available to a wide audience. The texture of the paper itself contributes to the image, with its slightly rough surface. The image has a deliberately naive, almost cartoonish quality, but the print's value lies in its accessibility and its capacity to communicate social messages directly. It speaks to the rise of a print culture, in which images could circulate widely and cheaply, shaping public opinion and challenging traditional hierarchies of art. Printmaking democratizes image-making, which is a pretty powerful thing.