Francesco de Medici, Prince of Tuscany 1629 - 1639

Stefano della Bella made this print of Francesco de Medici, Prince of Tuscany, using etching, a printmaking technique. The incisive line of etching lends itself beautifully to the details of his armor and lace collar, and indeed the broader composition. To create this print, a metal plate was covered with a waxy, acid-resistant coating. The artist then drew through this ground with a sharp needle, exposing the metal. When the plate was immersed in acid, the exposed lines were eaten away, creating recessed lines in the metal. These grooves were then filled with ink, and the plate was pressed onto paper, transferring the image. This process, while requiring skilled craftsmanship, allowed for the relatively quick and easy reproduction of images. This was essential to disseminating portraits like this one, affirming the sitter's status in the process. The print is therefore an object of great intricacy and detail, but also a product of its time, reflecting new possibilities for image production.