Schoolklas met zes kinderen staand bij de meester c. 1683 - 1688

Isaac Beckett created this mezzotint, depicting a school scene, sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Mezzotint is an intaglio printmaking process, where the artist roughens the entire plate with a tool called a rocker, creating tiny dots that hold ink. The darkest areas of the image are created by leaving the plate untouched, while lighter areas are achieved by smoothing parts of the plate with a burnisher or scraper, reducing the amount of ink they hold. In "Schoolklas met zes kinderen staand bij de meester", the technique allowed Beckett to create a rich tonal range, perfectly capturing the somber mood of the scene. The rough texture of the mezzotint adds a tactile quality to the image, reminiscent of the rough-hewn wooden furniture and the coarse clothing worn by the children. Looking closely, one can almost feel the weight of the master’s stern gaze and the palpable tension in the room. This print, with its labor-intensive technique, serves as a reminder of the value placed on craft and skill during that era, inviting us to consider the social context and the work involved in creating such an evocative image.