Følgeblad til "Slaget på Rheden" 1748 - 1831

This print by J.F. Clemens captures the Battle of Copenhagen, fought in 1801. It was made using a copper plate engraving, a process involving meticulous labor. First, the image would be incised into a polished copper plate using tools like burins and etching needles. These create grooves that hold ink. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the engraved lines. Damp paper is laid on the plate, and run through a press, forcing the paper into the inked grooves, transferring the image. The final print gives a stark contrast between the lines and the blank paper, creating detail. This was a cost-effective way to reproduce images, to be disseminated widely. Prints like these provide a fascinating window into the social and political events of the time, making them accessible to a broader audience, rather than just wealthy patrons of the arts. The artist's skill and the printmaking process are both critical to understanding its enduring appeal.