Fries met vrouw en gehurkte oude man tussen vazen 1583 - 1638

This frieze with a woman, squatting old man, and vases was made by Odoardo Fialetti in the 17th century, using etching. The dense matrix of lines conveys a powerful sense of depth and volume. Notice how the etching technique, with its reliance on controlled corrosion by acid, enables the artist to describe the ceramic textures of the vases, each appearing weighty and substantial. Fialetti would have coated a copper plate with wax, then scratched away lines to expose the metal. Immersing the plate in acid, he then ‘bit’ the design into the surface. This required considerable skill, balancing the strength of the acid with the duration of the bath. In the finished print, we see a world brought into being by skilled labor, and the division of labor between the artist and the printmaker, as well as a relationship between the design of pottery and prints. Approaching this artwork with an understanding of materials, processes, and social context helps us fully appreciate its meaning and challenges the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.