Achilles en de dochters van Lycomedes 1638 - 1658

This print, Achilles and the Daughters of Lycomedes, was made by Cornelis Visscher in the mid-17th century. It's a copper engraving, a process that demands exacting skill. A design is incised into a copper plate, and then ink is carefully applied, and the plate is pressed onto paper. Visscher has used this method to create a rich range of tones, from the deep blacks of the shadows to the delicate grays of the figures' faces. Look closely, and you'll see the dense network of lines that define the forms. The choice of copper as a medium is significant here. Copperplate engraving was a key technology for disseminating images and ideas in early modern Europe. It allowed for the relatively cheap reproduction of artworks. Visscher was part of a network of printmakers who helped to shape visual culture and the art market. His virtuosity with the burin transformed base metal into a medium for artistry. The print exemplifies how technical skill could elevate a commercial craft into an art form.