Italians, from a set of costume plates of different nations 1595 - 1645

This print depicting Italians was created by Johann Wilhelm Baur around the mid-17th century. It’s made using the intaglio process, where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The material reality of the print – the thinness of the paper, the fineness of the etched lines – speaks to the printmaker's skill and the market for such images. These costume plates were essentially early fashion magazines, circulating knowledge about status and taste. Baur's etching is not just a representation of Italian dress; it's an artifact deeply embedded in the social and economic life of its time. The very act of creating and distributing such prints was a form of cultural production, shaping perceptions and solidifying social hierarchies. Paying attention to the materiality and the making allows us to understand the print not just as a static image, but as a dynamic object participating in broader networks of labor, consumption, and cultural exchange.