Klok en vazen 1705 - 1775

This print, made anonymously, showcases designs for clocks and vases. The printmaking process itself, likely etching or engraving, involves skilled labor and time. The designs depict elaborate, ornamental forms, typical of the Rococo style. The swirling lines and asymmetrical compositions evoke movement and luxury. Notice how the forms suggest materials like carved wood or cast metal, requiring highly trained artisans to execute. These objects were destined for the homes of the wealthy, reflecting social status and taste. The act of design itself also has a social context. This print would have been circulated among workshops, offering inspiration and patterns for production. In a sense, it represents a kind of proto-industrialization, where design is separated from making, and disseminated for wider consumption. Considering the artistry and labor involved in both the printmaking and the objects it depicts, this work challenges our notions of fine art versus craft. It reveals how design mediates between creative vision, skilled work, and social aspiration.