Bijbelsche geschiedenissen uit het Nieuwe Testament 1871 - 1908

This printed page, titled "Biblical Stories from the New Testament" was created by W. Cheshire. It’s made with the technique of engraving, a form of printmaking that allows for the relatively easy mass production of images. The process involves cutting lines into a metal plate, applying ink, and then pressing paper against it. The matrix of this print can be made of various materials: copper, zinc, polymer or even wood. Look closely, and you will see the fine lines that form the images. This suggests that the matrix used was a metal and that the artist was proficient at their craft. Engraving like this was integral to circulating knowledge and beliefs in an age before photography. Prints like these were relatively inexpensive, making religion more accessible, but also facilitating the spread of political messages, satire, and other forms of information. They remind us that art is never separate from the social and economic conditions of its making and consumption.