Daedalus and Icarus, from 'Game of Mythology' (Jeu de la Mythologie) 1644

This tiny print of Daedalus and Icarus was made by Stefano della Bella, sometime in the 17th century. It’s an etching, a printmaking technique using acid to bite lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Look closely, and you can see how the etcher’s line defines the figures. Notice Icarus plunging to his doom, the lines describe the weight and drama of the fall. Etching allowed for detailed, repeatable images, a technology that democratized artmaking, making images widely accessible. Consider the labor involved: the skilled hand of the artist, the chemical processes, and the mechanical printing. In its time, this print would have been easily portable. Its small scale is a testament to the power of mass production, a precursor to today's digital image culture. Ultimately, this work reminds us that even in the age of mythology, the means of production shapes how we see and understand the world.