Genootschap Pro Patria in de Nieuwe Kerk, 1786 1786

This print by Jan Bulthuis, made in 1786, shows a patriotic society in Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk. It’s rendered in etching and probably engraving - a decidedly reproductive medium that suits the subject. Look closely, and you’ll notice the artist has paid careful attention to the reflections and gradations of light. This is a quality inherent in metal-plate printmaking, which relies on minute cuts into a surface to hold ink. And what is Bulthuis doing with this expertise? Well, he’s mass-producing an image of patriotic solidarity. Such societies were a middle-class phenomenon, and the print is perfectly pitched to their aspirations: crisply rendered, not too expensive, and easily shared. Consider the amount of labor involved in creating a copperplate engraving; the many hands involved, each contributing to the dissemination of these pro-patria ideals. This work reminds us that art is never just about individual expression. It’s also about the social life of materials, making, and the values they carry.