De Vesuvius, de Rheinfall, een regenboog en een vallende ster

This print, made by Willem Bal sometime in the 19th century, is a textbook illustration, mass-produced using engraving. The image is made by carving lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. This is a reproductive technique, like printing money. The use of engraving suggests that a large number of these prints were made. Each image is a demonstration of different natural phenomena, from a rainbow to a shooting star. These images were made not as ends in themselves, but rather, as tools to instruct the youth of the Netherlands on the wonders of the world, and the marvel of nature. As such, this print represents a fascinating intersection of art, education, and industry. The engraver, or perhaps a whole workshop, could be contracted to create the images according to a publisher's brief. The amount of labor, the quality of materials, and the way in which the imagery is distributed, all speak to the economic conditions of the time.