Hyrcanus belegert Ptolomeus in het kasteel Dagon 1780

This print of Hyrcanus besieging Ptolemy in the castle Dagon was made by Theodoor Koning in the late 18th century. It's an etching, which means the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, with a sharp needle. The lines you see are not simply drawn; they were bitten into the metal by acid. The plate would then be inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, it was pressed onto paper to create the print. This process, developed in the 16th century, allowed for the mass production of images. The very lines that define the scene speak to the social and economic context of printmaking as a burgeoning industry. The careful craftsmanship, multiplied across many impressions, democratized image-making and fueled the spread of information and ideas. It bridges the gap between the skill of the artisan and the demands of a market.