An allegory of the rising sun, a naked man wearing a shroud and accompanied Father Time is being drawn by horses 1531 - 1576

This print, "An Allegory of the Rising Sun," was made by Giulio Bonasone around the mid-16th century. It's an engraving, meaning the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, with a tool called a burin. The plate would then be inked and used to print multiple impressions on paper. Look closely, and you can see the fine lines that build up the image, creating areas of light and shadow. Bonasone was a prolific printmaker, known for his skill in translating the designs of other artists into this reproducible medium. The act of engraving, with its reliance on skilled hand-work, highlights the value placed on craftsmanship in Renaissance workshops. But the print also speaks to broader social and economic shifts. By the 16th century, printmaking was becoming a major industry, allowing for the wider dissemination of images and ideas. This print, with its allegorical subject matter, reflects both the artistic skill of its maker and the changing landscape of art production and consumption in early modern Europe. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images have complex origins in materials, making, and social context.