Masker met bladvormige jukbeenderen, schotelvormige oogkassen en een toef krullen midden op het hoofd 1555

Frans Huys created this print of a mask with leaf-shaped cheekbones sometime between 1522 and 1562. The mask is rendered through engraving, a printmaking process where the artist uses a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate, in this case copper. This painstaking technique requires immense skill. The dense network of fine lines creates a range of tonal effects, defining the mask's bizarre features. Swirling foliage surrounds saucer-like eyes, while the mouth seems to morph into cascading organic forms. Huys was working at a time when printmaking was expanding rapidly, connecting artists to a wider audience. This engraving speaks to a growing taste for ornament and the grotesque in the 16th century. But don't let the subject matter fool you. The true subject here is the engraver's art: the astonishing control required to produce such detail on a metal plate. By appreciating the artist's labor, we can move beyond traditional notions of fine art and consider the rich traditions of skilled craftsmanship.