Jonge vrouw in bed, naast haar een andere vrouw en non 1732 - 1780

Pierre Etienne Moitte created this print called 'Young woman in bed, next to her another woman and nun' sometime in the 18th century. As a print, its very nature lies in reproduction. Typically, an image is engraved into a metal plate. This is a painstaking process that relies on skilled labor, although the result can be reproduced many times over. The fine parallel lines, which give areas of shadow, are a testimony to the engraver’s careful control. Prints such as these were a key way of disseminating images at a time before photography. This one is dedicated to a Monsieur de Damery, and it would likely have been made in multiples for distribution. The image itself depicts an intimate scene, perhaps religious or perhaps familial, and is evidence of the tastes and interests of its time. Considering its original context of production and consumption, this print gives us insight into the social and artistic values of 18th-century France.