Nieuwjaarswens van de Amsterdamse nachtwacht voor het jaar 1872 1871 - 1872

This New Year's greeting from the Amsterdam night watch for 1872, is a testament to the power of printmaking as a mode of communication. Likely a wood engraving, the image would have been made by carving into a block of wood, then inking the surface to produce multiple impressions. The choice of this medium is significant. As an easily reproducible format, printmaking facilitated the widespread distribution of information and imagery. The detailed street scene, the ornate decorative elements, and even the text itself, would have all been meticulously carved, requiring great skill from the printmaker. This form of production reflects the rise of mass media and a growing reading public, connecting everyday life and the industrial revolution with the intricate craft of printmaking. By examining the materials, making, and context, we understand how deeply art and social life are entwined.