Wapenschild geflankeerd door twee engelen met een lauwerkrans 1598

This engraving of a coat-of-arms flanked by angels was created by Jost Amman in 1598. It’s printed from a metal plate, likely copper, carefully incised with lines to hold ink. Engraving is a meticulous process. The artist uses a tool called a burin to carve the design directly into the plate. This requires considerable skill. Each line cut into the metal will appear as a line in the final print. The process allows for fine detail and precise rendering, as we see here in the intricate patterns of the coat-of-arms, the delicate shading of the angels’ bodies, and the lettering above. Prints like this were luxury goods. They circulated widely, assisting in the standardization of visual culture and playing a crucial role in disseminating knowledge and ideas. Amman was one of the most prolific printmakers of his time, and through his mastery of the craft, he helped to shape the visual landscape of the late 16th century.