Letterzetterij, mogelijk G.J. Thieme 1848 - 1889

This print, possibly by Gerrit Jan Thieme, shows a 19th-century print shop, a hive of industry captured in ink on paper. Look closely and you’ll notice the men are engaged in typesetting, meticulously arranging individual characters to form words and sentences. Consider the labor involved, each letter a separate piece, carefully placed. The inherent qualities of the metal type - its weight, precision, and the sheer volume required - speak volumes about the scale of production and the physical demands on the workers. The tools and techniques employed here represent a skilled tradition, a blend of craft and industrial process that would soon be transformed by mechanization. Here, printing is not just a trade, but a reflection of wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. By focusing on materials, making, and context, we gain a richer understanding of this artwork and the world it represents, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.