Titelpagina met Christus en Mozes die wijzen op een draperie met de titel 1732

This print, made in 1732 by Bernard Picart, is an elaborate example of etching. The artist would have painstakingly drawn an image into a wax-coated metal plate, then bathed it in acid, which bit away the exposed lines. The plate was then inked and printed. Here, the crispness of the lines gives the image a powerful sense of clarity. Look closely, and you’ll notice the complex imagery is a sophisticated piece of propaganda, placing the Dutch translation of the Bible as the one true faith. Note how Picart uses the graphic qualities of the etching to emphasize his message, through contrasts of light and shadow. Consider the sheer labor involved in this kind of image-making. The print medium allowed for easy dissemination of visual ideas, a crucial advantage during this period of religious and political strife. This was a new kind of visual culture, where craftsmanship met the demands of mass communication.