Een man in zijn tuin 1736 - 1775

This print, made by Jan Caspar Philips around the mid-18th century, offers us a glimpse into the material culture of leisure. It is an etching, a process involving coating a metal plate with wax, scratching a design into it, and then using acid to bite away the exposed metal. Notice the sharp, precise lines, a direct result of this methodical process. This print depicts a man in his garden, which tells us about the culture of the Dutch Golden Age, and the rise of a wealthy merchant class with time for leisure and country estates. Consider the labor involved: from the engraver's skill in translating the scene onto the plate, to the printer’s careful work. This image wasn't just art; it was a commodity, produced and consumed in a rapidly expanding market. It speaks volumes about the social and economic structures of its time. It reminds us that even seemingly simple images are the product of complex material processes and social relations.