Stadssleutels worden aangeboden aan Lodewijk XIV, koning van Frankrijk 1674 - 1733

This print of the Stadssleutels, or city keys, being offered to Louis XIV, King of France, was made by Jan van Huchtenburg. It’s an etching, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, with a sharp tool. The plate would then be inked and printed onto paper. You can see the crispness of the line that such a process affords. Note also the fineness of detail, a testament to the skills involved. Consider the social implications. Etchings like these were a form of mass media in their day – an efficient means of communicating power. This print would have been relatively inexpensive to produce, meaning it could be distributed widely. The image itself conveys the might of the French monarchy, with Louis XIV on horseback receiving the symbolic keys. This piece reminds us that materials and making are never neutral; they always serve a social purpose.