Adres van juwelier weduwe Merlen 1862 - 1887

This print, "Adress van juwelier weduwe Merlen", was made by Georges Bellenger sometime between the mid-19th and early 20th century. It is made using a printmaking process, likely etching or engraving, which involves carefully incising lines into a metal plate. Consider the amount of labor involved in creating this image. The artist would have to have the skills to draw, and technical ability to translate this design onto the plate. The jeweler’s name, as the subject of the print, is centered as the most important element, highlighting the value of commerce. The rest of the image, which contains an angel and a female figure, are presented as the decoration. Printmaking made images widely available, tying art to a developing consumer culture. The technical skill of the artisan-artist combines with the rising prominence of commercial culture. In understanding prints like this, we can see the fusion of art, craft, and commerce, and the social contexts in which they thrive.