Zeeslag bij Cadiz, 1781 1781 - 1790

This print, made in 1781 by an anonymous artist, depicts the naval battle of Cadiz. Its power lies in the contrast between the fineness of the lines and the violence of the scene. The print was made through etching, a painstaking process involving coating a metal plate with wax, drawing an image into the wax with a sharp needle, and then bathing the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating incised lines that hold ink. The printmaking process, like shipbuilding, was both highly specialized and deeply embedded in the military and economic infrastructure of its day. It represents the labor of an artisan in service to the Dutch state, memorializing a moment of maritime conflict integral to the history of early capitalism. In appreciating this print, we are invited to consider the labor and materials that underpin even seemingly straightforward depictions of historical events.