Titelprent met architecturale lijst en personificaties van de kunsten 1640

Michel Dorigny made this title print with architectural list and personifications of the arts in 1640, using the intaglio process of engraving. To create the print, Dorigny would have used a sharp tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a copper plate. Ink is then forced into these lines, the surface of the plate is wiped clean, and paper is pressed against it. The high level of detail would have required considerable time and skill, with each line carefully considered to create the desired shading and texture. The print is inherently reproducible, able to be editioned in large numbers. This speaks to a key shift in the art world at this time, driven by the commercialization of art and the rise of a print market that offered artwork to a wider audience. In this context, Dorigny’s technical skill becomes entwined with the machinery of artistic production, serving both artistic expression, and the commercial demands of the time.