Herders met kudde in een landschap met brug 1741

Jacques Philippe Le Bas created this etching, “Herders met kudde in een landschap met brug,” sometime in the 18th century. The scene depicts herders moving livestock across a bridge. Le Bas was a master of printmaking, a process that stands in contrast to unique works of art. Etching involves coating a metal plate with wax, drawing a design through the wax, and then immersing the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating lines that hold ink. This plate can then be used to create multiple impressions on paper. The relatively smooth surface and fine lines speak to the technical skill required to execute the work, not unlike that of a fordist assembly line, where productivity is prioritized. Through the mechanization of image making, it democratizes visual culture. This etching collapses the traditional hierarchy between art and craft, reminding us of the importance of technical skill and reproductive methods in understanding art history.