Dit wonder-werk zeer wel bekend / Staat afgebeeld in deze prent [(...)] 1767 - 1793

This print, titled "Dit wonder-werk zeer wel bekend," was made by Erven Hendrik van der Putte, using the technique of etching. Etching is a printmaking process that relies on the corrosive power of acid to create lines in a metal plate. Here, those incised lines would have held ink, before being transferred to the paper under great pressure. Notice how the crisp, precise marks give the image its distinctive graphic quality. The elaborate border of floral motifs contrasts with the central image of a woman being carried away by a cloud, while the landscape below teems with activity. The act of etching, like other forms of printmaking, was a key technology in the early modern period, allowing images to be reproduced and disseminated widely. Considering the labor involved in creating each print, from the initial design to the physical act of production, we can appreciate the democratizing potential of this medium, bringing art and information to a wider audience. This piece blurs the lines between art, craft, and commerce, inviting us to consider the social and economic forces that shaped its creation.