Oude brandspuiten en nieuwe slangbrandspuiten in de praktijk, 1690 1688 - 1735

This print, "Oude brandspuiten en nieuwe slangbrandspuiten in de praktijk," was made in 1690 by Jan van der Heyden, using etching and engraving. These intaglio processes involve cutting lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing paper against it with considerable force. The resulting image shows a building on fire, with heroic figures using both old and new fire hoses to combat the blaze. Look closely, and you'll see how the artist renders the differing qualities of smoke, brick, and water with precise, almost scientific clarity. Van der Heyden was himself an inventor of fire-fighting equipment, so this wasn't just a dispassionate record. It was an argument for a particular kind of technology. The print suggests a belief in progress, and the power of human ingenuity to overcome natural disasters, like fire. A very modern attitude, rendered with the traditional tools of etching and engraving. It's a perfect combination, really, of old and new.