Koor van de Vreta kloosterkerk en de grafsteen van koning Inge I en koningin Helena van Zweden 1670

This engraving by Johan Hammarsson depicts the choir of Vreta Kloster Church and the gravestone of King Inge I and Queen Helena of Sweden. Hammarsson used a metal plate, likely copper, to create this print. The image was incised into the surface, with the depth and density of lines carefully controlled to convey a sense of light and shadow. This laborious process, requiring precision and skill, was essential for disseminating visual information before the advent of photography. The engraving allows a wide audience to access the architecture and funerary monument of Vreta Kloster Church. Consider the labor embedded in this print. From the mining of copper, to the skilled work of the engraver, to the printing process itself, each step reflects a complex web of economic and social relations. This seemingly simple image, therefore, speaks volumes about the modes of production and consumption that shaped its creation. The print bridges the gap between high art and craft, urging us to appreciate the skill and social context embedded in its making.