Hope, from the Cardinal Virtues 1648 - 1656

Nicolaes de Bruyn made this engraving, called "Hope," in the 16th or 17th century. The image is created with fine lines incised into a copper plate, which would then be inked and printed. The quality of the image depends on the engraver's skill, but also on the physical properties of the metal. It needs to be highly polished, but also soft enough to take the cuts. Consider how the material dictates the image. This isn't a gestural drawing, but a painstaking build-up of detail. And notice that the lines are all going in different directions. This is called "cross-hatching," and it's how the artist suggests light and shadow. The amount of labor is implicit in every mark. Prints like this were relatively inexpensive. That's important, because it meant that moralizing images, like this allegory of Hope, could reach a wide audience. It's a great example of how a technique connects to social impact.