Spotprent op de Aristocratie, 1795 1795

Hermanus Fock created this print in 1795 using etching, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid. These lines then hold ink, which is transferred to paper under pressure. The material nature of etching allows for fine, detailed work, perfect for satire. Here, Fock uses it to mock the aristocracy. Two men carry the symbols of power: wigs, swords, and bags of money, slung between them like a heavy burden. The wigs, status symbols of the elite, are rendered absurd and lifeless. Consider the labor involved, not just in the printmaking, but also in producing these aristocratic accoutrements. The wigs required skilled wigmakers, the swords expert smiths. Fock's print underscores a social commentary, suggesting that the aristocracy, detached from real labor, is merely a collection of empty signifiers. This work, therefore, invites us to think about the relationship between materials, making, and social power, challenging any high and low art.