Kerk en Rechthuis te Hilversum in 1762 (vóór de brand van 1766) 1763

Willem Writs created this print of the Kerk en Rechthuis in Hilversum around 1762 using etching and engraving techniques. These processes involve working into a metal plate with sharp tools and acid to create lines that hold ink, then printing the image onto paper. The fine lines and cross-hatching show the artist's skill in capturing the scene's details, from the church's architecture to the figures in the foreground. The coloring, added later, softens the image, giving it a picturesque quality. Writs wasn't just an artist, he was also a surveyor and a mapmaker. His awareness of the built environment seeps into the print. The print gives us a glimpse into the social fabric of 18th-century Hilversum. The church and the courthouse stand as symbols of the community's spiritual and legal life, surrounded by everyday citizens going about their business. By focusing on the material processes of printmaking and the social context of the image, we gain a deeper understanding of its cultural significance.