Gezicht op slot Stora Sundby en slot Sundbyholm 1688

Johann Jakob von Sandrart made this print of Stora Sundby and Sundbyholm castles sometime in the late 17th century, using a technique called engraving. Engraving is a printmaking process where the artist carefully carves lines into a metal plate, usually copper, with a tool called a burin. The incised lines hold ink, and when the plate is pressed onto paper, the image is transferred. The fine lines and details you see here are a testament to Sandrart’s skill and the labor-intensive nature of this process. In Sandrart’s time, printmaking was essential for disseminating images and information widely. Consider the social context: these prints allowed people to see and appreciate grand architecture, reinforcing ideas about power and status. The labor of the engraver, however, is often overlooked, yet it was central to the production and circulation of these images. Appreciating the craft involved allows us to reflect on who benefits from such beautiful imagery, and at what cost.