Kong Buthlus 1646

This is a print of Kong Buthlus, made by an anonymous artist, though we can guess that they were probably a professional printmaker active in the 16th or 17th century. The medium is likely etching or engraving. This means the design was incised into a metal plate, probably copper. Ink would have been forced into the recesses, and the surface carefully wiped clean. Then, the plate would have been pressed against a sheet of paper to transfer the image. Prints like this circulated widely, at a time when the technology was still relatively novel. They were a means of disseminating images and ideas, not unlike the internet today. Though this particular print depicts royalty, we might also consider the social context in which it was made, the labor involved, and the forms of consumption it enabled. All of these factors contribute to the work’s lasting significance.