Wijn drinkend gezelschap met saters te midden van wijnranken 1622 - 1693

This print of a wine-drinking scene was made in the 17th century by Alexandre Bettou, using an engraving technique. The fine lines you see are the result of painstakingly incising an image into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. Prints like this existed in a fascinating space between art and industry. The engraver needed artistic skill to interpret and render the image, but was also a technician, mastering the physical process of mark-making on a hard surface. The result is a detailed composition, full of figures cavorting amidst grapevines. Consider the labor involved. Every line meticulously cut, requiring patience and precision. These prints were often made in multiples, extending the reach of an image, and also the artist’s reputation. It served a purpose, circulating images and ideas to a wider audience. The print embodies the merging of artistic skill with the demands of production, blurring the lines between craft and fine art.