Gezicht op Veere c. 1662 - 1800

Pieter Hendricksz. Schut created this view of Veere, a port in the Netherlands, using engraving techniques. He worked by incising lines into a metal plate, applying ink, and then pressing paper against the plate to transfer the image. The material of the print – paper and ink – belies the great labor involved in its making. Schut would have needed immense skill to create a work like this. Notice the fine lines that define the ships at sea, and the buildings on the horizon. The act of engraving transforms a simple copper plate into a window onto a bustling maritime world, full of ships moving to and fro, carrying goods to markets. Prints like this were part of a rapidly expanding visual culture, making images accessible to a wide public and changing how people perceived the world around them. Looking at this print, we can see how the traditionally separate spheres of art, craft, and commerce are deeply intertwined.