Luna 1533

Heinrich Aldegrever created this engraving called Luna. The nature of the printmaking process means that the hand of the artist may not be immediately apparent. However, this image would have taken immense skill and time to produce, requiring Aldegrever to plan the image meticulously, and then carve it into a metal plate. It shows his mastery of the burin, the tool that created the fine lines seen here. The subject matter, too, is telling. Luna, the Roman goddess of the moon, is surrounded by a large ship, as well as lobsters. In this period of history, the sea was central to global trade. Thus, Aldegrever has alluded to how even mythical figures, like Luna, can be tied to real-world concerns like commerce, labor, and the consumption of goods. Looking at the making and materials of this print allows us to think about how art has always reflected society.