De heilige Franciscus aanbidt crucifix c. 1583

Agostino Carracci created this print, "The Holy Francis adoring the Crucifix" using the reductive process of etching. Lines were incised into a wax ground on a metal plate, which was then bathed in acid. The acid bit into the metal, creating grooves that would hold ink. Look closely, and you’ll see how the qualities of the etched line influence the image. There is incredible detail, achieved by the artist with what would have been considered a relatively mass-producible medium. Prints like this one were made in multiples and distributed widely. Francis’s coarse robe and worn features, the skull at his feet – all this is rendered with the sharp, efficient strokes of the etcher’s needle. There is also a considerable amount of craft involved in the skillful manipulation of line and tone to create the scene’s somber mood. This work invites us to consider the social context of artistic creation, and the skilled labor that goes into producing images for consumption. It challenges the idea of the artist as a solitary genius.