Verdediging van het fort Noordam, 1591 1600 - 1610

Bartholomeus Willemsz. Dolendo made this print of the Defence of Fort Noordam in 1591, using etching and engraving techniques. Look closely and you’ll see how the material qualities of the metal plate and the tools have shaped the image. The linear precision of engraving, combined with the more textured, almost painterly effect of etching, allow for an incredible level of detail. This creates depth and definition. The landscape and figures are defined by the artist’s hand, carefully modulated with tiny marks. The printmaking process involves significant labor, from preparing the metal plate to the skilled work of etching and engraving, and finally the physical act of printing itself. In the early modern period, prints like these were a crucial form of mass media, used to disseminate information and propaganda. Thinking about the print in this way, we can appreciate how the material and the making are fundamental to its cultural impact, far beyond simply depicting a historical event.