Moederlijke zorg 1738 - 1815

This image, "Moederlijke Zorg", was created by Francesco Bartolozzi using the technique of stipple engraving. Bartolozzi’s printmaking relied on a painstaking process. The image is built from thousands of tiny dots, carefully incised into a copper plate. This was achieved with a special tool that created a textured surface, capable of holding ink. The plate would then be inked, wiped, and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Stipple engraving allowed for soft gradations of tone, mimicking the look of chalk or pastel drawings, which were highly fashionable at the time. The final result is incredibly delicate, almost ethereal, but the labor involved was immense. Bartolozzi’s artistry lies not only in his design but also in his mastery of this demanding, repetitive process. When we consider how it was made, we can see how the image reflects broader social and economic conditions, and how the work challenges traditional distinctions between art and craft.