Schip wordt van victualiën voorzien 1717 - 1732

This print, made by Pieter van den Berge, probably around the turn of the 18th century, shows a ship being provisioned. It is a copper engraving, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate, which was then inked and pressed onto paper. Look closely and you'll see the intricacy of the lines. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to create these, pushing through the copper with considerable force. The depth of the lines determines how much ink they hold, and therefore the darkness of the printed line. The printmaking process was crucial to the distribution of images during this period. It was a labour-intensive activity, but allowed for relatively quick reproduction. This image hints at the vast logistical efforts required to maintain these ships, and by extension, the Dutch mercantile empire, with laborers on the docks contrasted with well-dressed merchants overseeing the operations. So, next time you see a print, think about not just the image itself, but the skilled labor and global networks that brought it into being.