Omlijsting met vruchten 1778 - 1779

This print, “Omlijsting met vruchten,” or “Framework with Fruit,” was made by Gottlieb Friedrich Riedel in 1774. Its lines were etched into a copper plate, which then transferred the image to paper. Consider the material transformation involved: from raw metal, to a matrix capable of reproducing images many times over. The etcher would have used sharp tools to incise lines into the plate, controlling the depth and width of each mark to create areas of light and shadow. The resulting print mimics the illusion of three-dimensionality. Observe the careful hatching and cross-hatching, building up tone and texture to give the fruit its plump volume. The crisp lines of the surrounding framework—quite different from the organic, somewhat scratchy depiction of the fruit—suggest a different kind of labor, more controlled and mechanical. Prints like this helped to democratize imagery, making it available to a broad audience. So, while the subject matter may seem like a simple still life, the very process by which it was made speaks to wider social and economic shifts in 18th-century Europe.