Vliegende vissen, 1595

This print, *Vliegende Vissen*, or Flying Fish, was made in 1595 by an anonymous artist, using etching. Notice the stark contrast between the dark lines and the white paper. To create this, the artist would have coated a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then drawn the image, exposing the metal beneath. Immersing the plate in acid would then bite away the exposed lines, which were then inked and printed. The result is a precise, graphic depiction of a teeming seascape, complete with ships, whales, seals, flying fish and squid. But consider what’s not shown: the labor involved in seafaring, both commercial and exploratory. The ships on the horizon speak to a complex network of trade, colonialism, and resource extraction. This print offers a sanitized, almost whimsical view, obscuring the human cost of maritime expansion. It serves as a reminder that the materials and processes used to create an image can be just as revealing as the image itself.