Afbeelding van den schouwburg te Amsterdam, van de Leidsche straat te zien / Afbeelding van het springen van 's lands oorlogschip Alphen, op de reede van Curaçao 1761 - 1804

This print, made by Hermanus Numan, depicts two scenes, and was made using engraving, a printmaking technique involving carving an image into a metal plate. Note the intricacy of the lines, which create a sense of depth and detail, from the facade of the Amsterdam theater to the explosive destruction of the ship Alphen off Curaçao. The material of the print itself is humble—just ink on paper—but the skill required to create such a detailed image was considerable. The production of prints like this was a key part of the era’s information economy. Consider the labor involved: from the engraver's painstaking work, to the printing and distribution of the final product, this print reflects a complex web of social and economic relationships. This challenges our traditional distinctions between art and craft, highlighting the importance of making and context in understanding the work’s full meaning.