Gezicht op de Amsterdamse Poort te Haarlem, 1680 1727 - 1733

This print, "Gezicht op de Amsterdamse Poort te Haarlem," was made in 1680 by Abraham Rademaker using etching and engraving techniques. The image is made up of thin, precise lines incised into a metal plate. The depth and density of these lines, created through careful control of the etching and engraving tools, give the image its tonal variation. The textures of the stone gate, water, and sky are rendered with great attention to detail. Prints like this were products of a sophisticated, commercialized system. They could be produced in multiples, easily transported, and sold at relatively low cost. So, while Rademaker certainly brought his own artistic sensibility to the image, his work was also part of a larger machine of production and consumption. By attending to the materiality and making of this print, we can appreciate it not only as a work of art, but also as a fascinating artifact of its time.