Santa Costanza te Rome Possibly 1631 - 1717

This is a print of Santa Costanza in Rome, made by Israel Silvestre in the late 17th century. The printmaking process itself involves a series of skilled, laborious steps, often divided among different workshops specializing in engraving, etching, and printing. Here, line engraving is used to create fine details, combined with etching for tonal variation, finally, color is added by hand. Each of these processes demand precision, care and time. The lines are crisp, the architecture is carefully rendered. Consider how the materiality of the print – the paper, the ink, the etched and engraved lines – contributes to the overall effect. This print would have circulated widely and been relatively affordable. Prints like this met a growing demand for images of faraway places, feeding into a burgeoning culture of travel and consumption.