Lot verlaat Sodom 1620

Lucas Vorsterman I created this print, “Lot Leaving Sodom,” using the engraving process. As you can see, lines are the basic building blocks. Each one is a deliberate cut into a metal plate, which would then be inked and printed, transferring the image to paper. Think about the labor involved. Every line, every gradation of tone, demanded skilled, patient work. Look closely, and you'll notice that the composition is derived from a painting by Peter Paul Rubens. Vorsterman was actually employed in Rubens’s workshop. This means the print not only disseminates Rubens’s artistic vision more widely, but also represents a commercial transaction, a means of earning livelihood. The stark contrast, achieved through the density and direction of the engraved lines, heightens the drama of the biblical scene. This was not just a devotional image; it was a commodity, made possible by the division of labor in Rubens’s studio, and consumed by a growing market for art. Appreciating the print involves considering not just its aesthetic qualities, but the social and economic forces at play in its making.