Chilperik I bezoekt Fredegonde / Bal des Ardents 1731

Bernard Picart created this engraving, sometime between 1693 and 1733, using a technique dependent on the division of labor. It was printed on paper, likely manufactured in a Dutch paper mill. Engraving, unlike drawing, requires a suite of specialized tools. The artist would have used a sharp burin to incise lines into a copper plate, which would then be inked and printed. The clarity of the lines, a hallmark of engraving, allowed for the detailed rendering of the scenes depicted here. These images show episodes from French royal history, scenes of intrigue and danger. They give us a glimpse into the lives of the elite, but also, indirectly, into the highly organized and complex workshops that made prints available for a growing reading public. Consider that the relative ease with which such imagery could be circulated also made it a powerful tool for shaping public opinion, as it still is today.