Personificatie, mogelijk Minerva, op een troon omringd door vrouwen 1751 - 1816

This small print was made by Reinier Vinkeles in the late 18th century, using engraving techniques. The image is rendered through the deliberate and precise cutting of lines into a metal plate. The matrix would have been inked, then pressed onto paper. This method of production speaks to the print’s function as a means of circulating imagery widely. We can tell that the image was indeed circulated, as it has been cropped from a larger publication, its edges closely trimmed. The quality of line is particularly important here. Vinkeles expertly uses it to create a sense of depth and texture, and to suggest a wide range of tonalities, from light to dark. This allowed prints like these to stand in for more expensive paintings for those who couldn't afford them. Next time you look at a print, consider the labor and skill involved in its creation, and how this process shapes its meaning and cultural value.