Groepsportret van de vier overlieden van de Handboogdoelen 1859

This print of the four overlieden, or leaders, of the Handboogdoelen, was made by Jean-Denis Nargeot in the 1800s, using an engraving process. The image is created by cutting lines into a metal plate, which would have been a highly skilled form of labor, demanding precision and control to create the different tones and textures we see. Ink is then applied to the plate, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the incised lines. Paper is then pressed against the plate to transfer the image, resulting in a reversed version of the original design. It's interesting to consider the social context of this print. The Handboogdoelen, or civic guard, was an important institution in Dutch society, and this print celebrates its leaders. The very act of creating and distributing such an image was a political statement, asserting their power and status, while also relying on the labor of the engraver, and the distribution networks of printmaking, which were themselves enmeshed with rising capitalism. The print serves as a reminder that art and craft are always intertwined with the social and economic forces of their time.