Voetknechten met paarden, plaat 9 Possibly 1530 - 1620

Curator: Here we have "Foot Soldiers with Horses, plate 9" by Nicolaas Hogenberg, created sometime between 1530 and 1620. It’s rendered using etching techniques. What's your initial take on this? Editor: Immediately I'm struck by the texture. The hatching is so meticulously applied; you can almost feel the scratch of the needle on the plate. It makes me think about the painstaking labor involved in creating such a detailed image, piece by piece. Curator: Indeed, that level of detail is compelling. Looking closer at the composition, consider how Hogenberg uses line weight and density to create a sense of depth. The horses and figures in the foreground are so much more defined, almost overwhelming the space, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Yes, and the opulence of the horses’ gear - those decorated textiles, the bridles... It speaks to the social standing of those depicted, doesn’t it? You know, I wonder who owned this print, what use did they have for an image illustrating footsoldiers and their horses? Curator: It certainly invites speculation! Note how Hogenberg’s style also plays with this tension between surface and depth, or linearity and volume. Each figure and animal is outlined meticulously and contained within this sharp structure of contrasting light and dark. Editor: And look at the range of grays achieved! Think about the different stages of biting the plate to achieve those tonalities and the mordant that ate away at the lines to allow for darker printing of inks... Each step is laden with material consideration and would need great precision. It offers so much for reflection upon craft practices during the period, a period often framed as ‘before technology’ and skilled trades, which would be untrue to our understanding of making in our day. Curator: Well, your perspective on the process highlights that interplay between labor and image so vividly! We have come far in looking into the composition to further delve into the image making here. Thank you. Editor: Of course. The act of etching, layering, and the decisions of how to print reveal its social narratives, don't they?