Zinspeeling op den balancemaaker
1786
Medium
letterpress printing
Dimensions
93; 72
About this artwork
Prent uit: Zinspeelingen op allerlei wetenschappen, konsten en ambachten: Continuation 17. Amsterdam: erven weduwe Cornelis Stichter, 1786.
Art Historical Context
This small 1786 print by Hendrik Numan forms part of the Dutch emblem book *Zinspeelingen op allerlei wetenschappen, konsten en ambachten*, published in Amsterdam by the heirs of the widow Cornelis Stichter. The series used symbolic images to celebrate trades and crafts, pairing each illustration with moral or practical commentary. Numan’s contribution depicts the “balancemaaker,” or scale-maker, whose work of crafting precise weighing instruments carried both commercial and philosophical weight in the Enlightenment era. Measuring just 93 by 72 millimetres, the letterpress print demonstrates ...
About the Artist
Hendrik Numan · 1723–1793
Hendrik Numan (1736–1788) was an 18th-century Dutch woodcut artist considered one of the best woodcutters of his generation, known for creating catchpenny prints that entertained and educated the poorer parts of Dutch society. Born in Amsterdam in October 1736, Numan specialized in the often-overlooked medium of woodcut at a time when copper engraving dominated fine printmaking. His father, Lauren...