Vrouw met laag decolleté, parelketting en gekruld haar 1642

Wenceslaus Hollar created this print, of a woman with a low neckline, pearl necklace, and curly hair, using etching. The print is made by coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance called a ground, then scratching an image into that ground, exposing the metal underneath. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. By repeating the stopping-out process - protecting areas with varnish and re-immersing the plate in acid - the artist can create different depths of line and tonal richness. Consider this artwork as an act of skilled labor, where Hollar skillfully employs tools, acids, and time to create a tangible, reproducible piece of art. The image is a commodity, created with the intention of sale and distribution. The detailed work and its wide distribution via printing reflects the economic and social systems of the time, where craftsmanship and trade were intertwined. This underscores the importance of understanding an artwork through its materials, processes, and the wider social context.