Beurs te Parijs 1744

Édouard Coste made this print of the Paris stock exchange, using a technique called engraving. Look closely, and you’ll see that the image is composed of thousands of tiny lines incised into a metal plate. The engraver would have used specialized tools to painstakingly cut these lines, creating grooves that hold ink. The plate is then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The quality of the print depends greatly on the sharpness of the lines, and the fineness of the paper. This painstaking process allows for the reproduction of images on a mass scale, making them accessible to a broader audience. Prints like this one played a crucial role in disseminating information and shaping public opinion during a time of rapid industrial and financial expansion. By capturing the energy of the stock exchange, Coste offers a glimpse into the engine room of capitalism, a place where fortunes are won and lost.