IJsgezicht met een koek-en-zopie 1750

This print, made by Jacques Aliamet in the mid-18th century, captures a winter scene in the Netherlands. The artist worked with an engraver’s tools – burins and etching needles – to create this image of a frozen landscape on a copper plate. The print’s fine lines give a sense of the cold, crisp air, and the figures are rendered with an attention to their clothing and activities. Here, we see people engaging in winter pastimes, like ice skating and playing a game similar to golf, while others gather around a tent selling food and drinks. The way Aliamet has used the printmaking process to depict this scene is really interesting. Printmaking was a way to produce images in multiples, making them more accessible to a wider audience, and documenting everyday life and leisure. It offers us a glimpse into the social activities and material culture of the time, and highlights the connection between artistic production, labor, and consumption.