Fontein met twee riviergoden 1661

This print of a fountain with two river gods was made by Jean Lepautre using etching. The image shows a wealth of detail achieved through the laborious process of repeatedly covering a metal plate with wax, incising lines into it, and then bathing the plate in acid. Consider the relationship between this technique and the subject. Fountains like this one, common in the gardens of the wealthy, were objects of elite consumption, literally built to convey status. And the process by which Lepautre has represented it is also highly specialized. Prints like these circulated widely, making the lifestyles of the rich visible to a much wider audience. Here, the material is not stone or water, but ink on paper. Etching offers a glimpse into a complex world of status, craft skill, and commercial exchange. It reminds us of the amount of labor that went into crafting this image, both in reality and in representation.