Wachtendonk door Bucquoy veroverd, 1605 1613 - 1615

This print, titled 'Wachtendonk door Bucquoy veroverd, 1605,' was made anonymously in 1605, using the intaglio process. This is a technique that involves incising an image into a metal plate, inking the recesses, and then pressing paper against the plate to transfer the ink. The lines that define the image are not freely drawn but are the result of careful labor. The print shows a bird’s-eye view of a siege, with a complex system of fortifications and troop movements represented. The precision and detail of the intaglio process lend a sense of authority and documentary truth to the image, even as it glorifies military conquest. Prints like this one played a crucial role in disseminating information and shaping public opinion in the early modern period. As a medium, they are tied to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The image reveals the amount of work involved in the production process, from the skilled labor of the engraver to the complex logistics of warfare. By understanding its materials, making, and context, we can appreciate the full meaning of this print.