Hier heb je 't leven en bedryf, van Jan de Wasser en zyn wyf 1761 - 1804

This print, titled "Here you have the life and business of Jan de Wasser and his wife", was made by Erven de Weduwe Jacobus van Egmont. It's printed on paper, using an intaglio technique, where the image is etched or engraved into a metal plate, then inked and pressed onto the page. Look closely and you'll notice the linear quality, a direct result of the incised lines. The relatively light and thin paper would have been widely available and affordable. The image, composed of small vignettes, tells a story – likely about the everyday lives of working people. The act of printing itself implies a certain level of industrialization, a move toward mass production and distribution of images to a wider audience. Consider the social context: prints like this one would have played a role in shaping public opinion, documenting everyday life, or even satirizing social norms. The relatively accessible medium of print democratizes art, moving it away from unique, handcrafted objects, and into the realm of mass communication and collective experience.