Autumn 1601

Jan Saenredam made this print, "Autumn," using engraving, a process with a long history in European art. The image is defined by crisp, precise lines incised into a metal plate, likely copper. Engraving demands meticulous skill and physical effort. The artist uses a tool called a burin to carve lines into the plate, creating grooves that hold ink. The plate is then inked, wiped clean, and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Saenredam's mastery of this labor-intensive technique allows for incredible detail, from the textures of the figures' clothing to the lush foliage surrounding them. Consider the social context: prints like these were a crucial means of disseminating images in the pre-photographic era. This print could have been one of a series of the four seasons, or one of many depictions of harvest time, to evoke a sense of abundance, and of the hard work necessary to attain it. Looking at it now, we can appreciate how much labor was required, both in the agricultural scene that it depicts, and also to the artist in his workshop. This reminds us that artmaking itself is a form of skilled work.