Children playing "à Capelletto" 1705 - 1715

Giuseppe Maria Crespi made this print, "Children playing 'à Capelletto'", using etching, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid. The image comes to life through the process of pressing this plate onto paper. Here, the stark black lines on the paper show a group of children engrossed in their play. You can almost feel the weight of the scene, the rough texture of the brickwork, and the soft forms of the children. Crespi's mastery of etching captures a candid moment. The way he used the etching process, not to create a polished image, but to reflect the everyday textures of life, gives the image social and cultural significance, hinting at the realities of childhood in 18th-century Italy. Ultimately, understanding the materials and making of this work helps us appreciate the artist's vision, challenging the traditional distinctions between high art and the gritty realities of daily life.