Inhuldiging van prins Willem V tot Ridder in de Orde van de Kousenband, 1752 1757

This print, made by Jan Caspar Philips in 1752, commemorates Prince William V's induction into the Order of the Garter. It’s made using engraving, a printmaking process reliant on the artist's skill and labor. Look closely, and you will see how the design is incised into a metal plate, which would have been painstaking work with specialized tools. The material qualities of the metal—its hardness and receptivity to fine lines—dictate the aesthetic. The stark contrast between black ink and white paper gives the image its graphic punch. Engraving was a skilled trade, demanding years of apprenticeship. Philips, as an engraver, was part of a complex economy of image production, making accessible depictions of events for a growing public. This print is more than just an artwork; it's a document of social power, rendered through specialized labor and the circulation of printed images. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images are the result of intricate processes and skilled hands.