Endpaper with Scenes of the Trades
1777
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1777
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image shows a long strip of tiny scenes carved into wood and printed in gold ink. The scenes are arranged in rows, each with people doing different jobs—some cooking, others building, and a few working with animals. The background is a light tan color, and the figures look simple but busy, packed closely together. The gold ink makes the whole thing look fancy, like a holiday card. The paper is slightly yellowed, which makes the gold stand out even more. Look up woodcut to see how this printing trick works.
