Burgemeester Westerwijk te Goes uit de gevangenis geleid, 1692 1785

Reinier Vinkeles made this print depicting Burgemeester Westerwijk being led from prison, using the technique of etching. This intaglio printmaking method involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance called a ground. The artist then scratches an image into the ground, exposing the metal. When the plate is submerged in acid, the exposed lines are "bitten" or etched, creating grooves. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Under high pressure, the inked image is transferred onto paper, resulting in a print with fine, precise lines, seen here in the faces of the figures, and the vaulted architecture of the prison. Vinkeles's choice of etching, a process demanding skill and labor, elevates what might otherwise have been a fleeting political moment to something of lasting value. The print serves not only as a historical record but also as a testament to the power of craft in preserving and interpreting social narratives.