Laatste Oordeel 1700 - 1800

This print, Laatste Oordeel, was made by an anonymous artist using the technique of engraving. It is a world of difference from painting or sculpture. Here, a design is painstakingly inscribed into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. The act of engraving demands precision and control. Look closely and you'll see a network of fine lines and marks, each one carefully placed to build up areas of light and shadow. Engraving emerged as a key technology alongside the rise of capitalism. Prints like this one could be produced in multiples and distributed widely. This allowed images and ideas to circulate in ways never before possible. Though anonymous, the person who made this print was a skilled technician, part of a larger system of production and consumption. Considering the conditions in which this print was made gives us a richer understanding of its cultural significance.