Stier 1788

This print of a bull was made by Hendrik Willem Schweickhardt. The medium is etching, a printmaking technique that involves using acid to corrode lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Now, etching is fascinating because of its indirectness. The artist doesn't directly carve the image. Instead, they draw through a waxy, acid-resistant ground. This process allows for a level of detail and nuance not easily achieved through direct engraving. Looking closely, you can see how Schweickhardt used a variety of lines – thin, thick, short, long – to create a sense of volume and texture. The choice of etching also speaks to the broader context of printmaking in the 18th century. It was a means of mass production. Prints circulated widely, disseminating images and ideas to a broad audience. While this particular image depicts a bull, a symbol of agrarian life, it also participates in a network of commerce and exchange. So, considering the materials and the making process, this print reveals the intersection of art, labor, and the burgeoning market economy of the time.