Gezicht op een wetering richting de Stadlanderbrug en Amsterdam 1725 - 1764

This is Gerardus Condet’s ‘View of a waterway towards the Stadlander Bridge and Amsterdam.’ It's an etching, a printmaking process that relies on the controlled corrosion of metal. Look closely and you'll see how Condet scratched through a protective wax coating on a metal plate, then bathed it in acid. The acid bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves that would hold ink. The plate was then inked, wiped clean, and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. This method allowed for multiple identical images to be made efficiently. Consider the labor involved: from the preparation of the plate to the final print, each step required skill and care. Etchings like this fueled the rise of a visual culture, making art more accessible and allowing for the mass dissemination of information. The availability of prints like these democratized images, removing the need to commission an artwork. So, as you observe Condet’s Amsterdam, remember that the artwork’s meaning isn't just in its depiction, but also in its making and its social context.