Figuren bij een tent 1653 - 1703

This etching, Figuren bij een tent, was made anonymously, likely in the 17th century. The image is made of etched lines into a metal plate, printed in ink onto paper. The appeal of etching lies in the relative ease with which the artist can achieve tonal variation and fine detail. A metal plate would have been coated with wax, and the design drawn through it with a needle. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the metal to create recessed lines. Ink was then applied into the recessed lines, the surface wiped clean, and then printed onto paper. Notice the density of the lines which create a dark mass around the tent. This contrasts with the much lighter, more loosely defined lines of the sky. The medium itself is integral to the social message of this work. The relatively low cost of printmaking meant images could be produced and disseminated widely, giving access to art to a wider audience. The material process and the image's subject matter democratized art and society.