Cartouche omgeven door grotesken, met links en rechts een korf met bloemen c. 1555 - 1560

This print, made by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum, is an example of engraving, a process with a fascinating relationship to labor. Consider the fine lines, the cross-hatching, and the overall detail. All of this was achieved by hand, using a tool called a burin to cut directly into a metal plate. The ink settles into these tiny grooves, and then transfers to paper under great pressure. Before industrialization, prints like this were a primary means of distributing images, like photographs today. Engravers were highly skilled artisans, whose labor made art accessible to a broad public. There was a great deal of skilled work involved in the production process. Though we often think of prints as multiples, each one bears the mark of the maker’s hand. So next time you see an engraving, don't just admire the image. Think about the labor, the skill, and the democratization of art that this process represents.