Man wordt op straat in zijn rug geschoten 1875

Léopold Flameng created this engraving, "Man wordt op straat in zijn rug geschoten," using a traditional printmaking process. The image is rendered in intricate detail through the incised lines on a metal plate, which would have been painstakingly carved by the artist and then inked, before being pressed onto paper. The social context of this artwork is one of stark violence. The scene is raw, capturing a moment of brutal reality in the backstreets. The choice of engraving as a medium is significant. While it is capable of great detail, engraving is fundamentally a reproductive technique. Prints can be circulated widely. Prints like this one often served to disseminate dramatic narratives and social commentary to a broader audience. This speaks volumes about the political intentions that underscored much art production in the 19th century. It challenges our ideas about fine art and craft, underlining the importance of materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of the artwork.