Maria van Lalain 1779

This print of Maria van Lalain was made by Theodoor Koning. We're looking at ink on paper, humble materials but capable of great detail when wielded by a skilled hand. Engraving is an indirect process. The artist doesn’t draw directly onto the paper. First, they incise an image into a metal plate, a painstaking process, requiring immense patience. Once the plate is complete, ink is forced into the grooves. The plate is then pressed firmly onto paper, transferring the ink. Look closely, and you can see the crisp lines that define the figures and architecture. The appeal of engraving was that multiple impressions could be made, allowing images to be widely disseminated. In this way, it reflects the increasing industrialization and commercialization of art in the 18th century. It's easy to overlook the labor involved in creating such images, but it's important to remember the human effort behind them. Appreciating the process allows us to move beyond the image itself.