Vrouw wordt onthoofd in een slaapkamer 1667

This print by Abraham Dircksz Santvoort, titled "Woman being beheaded in a bedroom" was made in the mid-17th century using engraving, a printmaking technique that relies on the skilled use of a burin to carve lines into a metal plate, in this case copper. Engraving, unlike etching, demands considerable strength and precision, making it a highly specialized craft. The stark, graphic quality of the lines, so evident here, speaks to the direct, forceful action of the engraver. The process itself mirrors the brutal act depicted: the decisive cutting away of material to create an image of violence. Beyond its aesthetic impact, the print also reflects broader issues of labor and reproduction. As a multiple, it could be widely distributed, bringing Santvoort's vision and technical skill to a broad audience, but at the same time it risks diluting the individual artistic labor involved. Thinking about this print through its making helps us appreciate how craft, in its social and material dimensions, intersects with broader cultural narratives.