Man knielt en kust hand van dame bij kaarslicht 1807 - 1838

This print, titled "Man kneels and kisses hand of lady by candlelight", was made in 1838 by Johannes Alexander Rudolf Best. It is made using line engraving, a printmaking technique that requires great skill and precision. The image is created by incising lines into a metal plate, which are then filled with ink and pressed onto paper. The process results in a distinctive, crisp quality. Look closely, and you can see how the artist has used fine lines to create a sense of depth, shadow, and texture. The print depicts a scene of aristocratic romance. The act of kneeling and kissing a hand was a courtly gesture, requiring careful execution, but also symbolic of social hierarchies, dependence, and gender roles. The print itself, as a multiple, reflects a wider availability of images made possible through industrial production, catering to the romantic and historical interests of an expanding middle class. The print's focus on technique and its circulation as a commodity underscores the complex relationship between art, labor, and social status in the 19th century.