Reproductie van een gravure van drie mannen aan het werk op houten boekdrukpersen before 1892

This engraving of men working at wooden printing presses was created by Rimmer van der Meulen, a Dutch artist, in the late 19th or early 20th century. The image offers a glimpse into the world of early printing. It creates meaning through its depiction of labour, craftsmanship and technology. The setting is probably somewhere in the Netherlands. During this period, the country was undergoing industrialization, and images of labour became increasingly common. The engraving may also reflect the increasing cultural value placed on literacy and knowledge. Woodblock printing was a highly skilled trade, so this work could have been commissioned by a guild. As historians, we can look at census records, trade union documents, or other printed matter from the period to understand more about the social and economic conditions that produced this image. Studying this engraving reminds us that art is always a product of its time, shaped by the social structures and institutions that surround it.