Twee engeltjes aan weerszijden van twee spelende honden 1594 - 1617

Nicolaes de Bruyn made this print of two angels with dogs sometime around 1594, using an engraving technique. The density of the engraved lines defines the forms of the chubby cherubs, the playful dogs, and even the insects flitting around them. The act of engraving – cutting lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper – is crucial to this image. It allows for incredible detail, and also for the production of multiple identical images. This reproductive capacity speaks volumes about the changing status of art at the time, and the rise of a market for images. The print wasn't just an aesthetic object, but a commodity. By focusing on the engraver's craft, we see how this small print participates in larger economies of labor, production and consumption, challenging distinctions between art and craft.