Huizen aan het water 1613

Claes Jansz Visscher created this print, “Huizen aan het water”, using etching and engraving techniques. Look closely, and you can see how the etched lines create soft, blurry shadows, while the engraved lines are sharp and precise. Visscher would have used a metal plate, acid, and specialized tools to create this image. The choice to create a print, rather than a unique painting, meant this image could be reproduced many times over, and sold at a lower price. Consider the labor involved: the skilled hand needed to guide the burin, the time spent bathing the plate in acid, and the physical exertion of printing each copy. This was a commercial venture, meant to appeal to a growing middle class with a desire for art in their homes. Understanding the materials, the making process, and the social context allows us to appreciate the craftsmanship and the economic forces at play in the creation of this seemingly simple waterside scene.