Profiel van Deventer (plaat I) 1615

This is a print of Deventer, made by Claes Jansz. Visscher sometime before his death in 1652. It’s made from an engraving, a process that involves using a tool called a burin to incise lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. The real subject here isn’t just the city, but the networks of trade that sustained it. The masts of ships are clearly visible, emphasizing the significance of maritime commerce to Deventer's economy. See the figures in the foreground working, perhaps repairing nets or loading goods. Every line on this print represents labor, both the labor it depicts and the labor that produced it. Prints like this one played a crucial role in shaping perceptions of cities. They were luxury goods, accessible to the wealthy merchant class who were transforming the economic and social landscape of the Dutch Golden Age. By emphasizing the interplay of labor, materials, and the circulation of goods, we see that this image offers a glimpse into the values of its time.