Titelblad til Jonas Lie, "Faustina Strozzi" 1875 - 1901

This is Waldemar Bøhme’s title page for Jonas Lie’s "Faustina Strozzi", made with wood engraving. Look closely, and you will notice how the artwork is deeply rooted in its production. Bøhme's technique involves carving an image into a block of wood. The fine lines and textures were achieved by using specialized tools to remove slivers of the material. Ink was then applied to the raised surface and transferred to paper, resulting in the print we see today. The process demanded precision, skill, and time, reflecting a significant investment of labor. Wood engraving was a popular method for mass-producing illustrations and texts in the 19th century. Its rise was closely linked to the growth of print culture and the increasing demand for accessible and affordable reading material. By understanding the labor and means of production that went into its creation, we can appreciate its role in disseminating information and shaping public opinion. This challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and commercial craft, encouraging us to see them as interconnected aspects of visual culture.