Kustgezicht met schepen 1613 - 1695

This tiny coastal scene with ships, now in the Rijksmuseum, was etched by Nicolas Perelle sometime in the 17th century. Look closely, and you'll notice that the scene is built up with countless little lines, all carefully bitten into the metal plate with acid. This was an indirect process, requiring patience and skill. First, the plate was covered in a waxy ground, upon which Perelle would draw his composition. Then, acid did the work of actually incising the image. Think about the economics of this image. Etchings like this were made to be reproduced, to circulate widely. They weren't unique works of art, but rather a form of proto-mass media. The original drawing, painstakingly made, could reach a broad audience through the printing press, and the artist would get paid for each impression. This was image-making for a mercantile world, mirroring the very ships that Perelle depicted, sailing off to trade and connect distant lands. It speaks of early capitalism.