Appelverkoopster 1856

This is "Appelverkoopster," or "Apple Seller," by Emile Rouargue. It's an engraving, made with a burin cutting lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed onto paper. The linear quality of engraving gives the image its descriptive precision. It shows a woman holding a tray of apples. We get a strong sense of her clothing, her stance, her place in society. Notice how the parallel lines create shadows and volume, a sort of material presence. Engraving was a reproductive medium. It was a way to disseminate images widely, to create a market for them. So, in this image, Rouargue isn't just showing us an apple seller, he is also participating in a system of labor and consumption. In its own way, the print is a product, much like the apples themselves. By understanding the process behind this image, we can see how deeply art is embedded in the wider world of making and selling.