Buste van oude vrouw met hoofddoek 1613 - 1661

Jan Gerritsz van Bronckhorst created this etching of an old woman with a headscarf, using metal plate and acid, sometime in the 17th century. With its simple lines and monochrome palette, etching may seem like a straightforward process. But it requires many skilled steps, each demanding meticulous labor. The metal plate is first coated with wax, then the artist scratches through the wax to expose the metal. When acid is applied, it bites into these exposed lines, creating grooves. The deeper the grooves, the more ink they will hold. After cleaning off the wax, ink is applied to the plate, carefully wiping away the excess from the surface. Then the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the ink from the grooves and leaving behind the desired image. Etching allowed for the relatively easy and inexpensive reproduction of images, and for their wide distribution. This print, with its attention to the dignity and lived experience of an ordinary older woman, would have found a ready audience.