Aanbidding door de herders 1553

Heinrich Aldegrever made this tiny engraving, "The Adoration of the Shepherds," sometime in the first half of the 16th century. Working with a metal plate and sharp tools, Aldegrever incised lines to create this scene. The density of those lines gives the print its tonal range, from light to dark. It's a demanding, skilled process. But prints like this one were relatively inexpensive, so they made images widely accessible. Think about the subject matter, too. The shepherds, as working-class people, were among the first to witness the Nativity. Aldegrever was interested in the Protestant Reformation, and this image reflects the movement's interest in the everyday individual's relationship with God. The choice of printmaking as a medium reinforces this idea, by making sacred imagery available to a broad audience. So, the next time you look at a print, consider not just the image, but also the means of its making and its social context. It might change the way you see art.