Binnenplaats van het Hof van Savoye te Mechelen before 1881

This print shows the Binnenplaats van het Hof van Savoye in Mechelen, rendered by an anonymous artist. Likely produced using etching or engraving, the artwork translates the three-dimensional architecture of the courtyard into a two-dimensional image. The print’s material qualities – the fineness of the lines, the texture of the paper, and the overall tonal range – speak to a highly skilled level of craftsmanship. The image is made up of a dense network of fine lines etched into a metal plate, which was then inked and pressed onto the paper. This mode of production connects the artwork to a broader history of printmaking. But it also reminds us of the labor involved in architectural construction. The building materials – brick, stone, timber, glass – each involved extraction, production, and assembly. The finished courtyard stands as a testament to both artistic and industrial processes, blurring the lines between fine art, craft, and the built environment.