Gezicht op Amsterdam rond 1570, gezien vanaf het galgenveld aan de overkant van het IJ c. 1594 - 1665

This view of Amsterdam around 1570 was etched by Cornelis Dircksz. Boissens. The method of production is key here. Etching involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then drawing through it with a sharp needle. This exposes the metal, which is then bitten by acid to create incised lines. The magic of this process is that it allows for a delicate, intricate level of detail – as you can see here in the depiction of the ships and the city's architecture. The very act of etching, with its reliance on skilled labor and the manipulation of materials, speaks to the burgeoning economic power of Amsterdam at this time. Consider too, that the image was printed, allowing for widespread dissemination of the view. This speaks volumes about Amsterdam's position as a centre of trade, knowledge, and artistic production. The print is not just an image, it's a document of labor, trade, and the rise of a global economy, collapsing distinctions between art, craft, and commerce.