Kerkinterieur met rots structuur te Kelheim 1812

Domenico Quaglio made this print of a church interior in Kelheim. It is made from etching, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate using acid, then inked and pressed onto paper. The material qualities of the print, its monochromatic tones, and linear precision, lend themselves well to capturing the cavernous architecture and the play of light within. The technique allows for intricate detail, evident in the rendering of the rocky interior and the crowd of figures gathered for worship. The acid-biting process and the printing stages required skilled labor. Prints like these played a crucial role in disseminating architectural ideas and religious imagery in the 19th century, but also in the commercialization of art, as printmaking allowed for images to be reproduced and sold widely. By focusing on the making of this print, we can appreciate how Quaglio combined artistic vision with skilled craft to create an object that reflects both the sublime and the socio-economic realities of his time.