Tekenende jongen 1658 - 1677

Wallerant Vaillant created this mezzotint, "Tekenende jongen," using a copper plate, a labor-intensive process involving numerous stages. The rough surface of the plate creates areas of tone by holding ink, which are then smoothed to produce lighter areas. Vaillant’s skill in manipulating the plate is evident in the print's rich tonal range, from the deep blacks of the background to the subtle grays defining the figure. The material itself—copper—demands a mastery that connects printmaking to other skilled trades, like metalworking. The image shows a drawing boy in his studio. The textures of the boy's turban and robe, the marble statues, and the paper of the books, all suggest a world of material refinement made accessible through Vaillant's meticulous labor. This print, therefore, is not just an image, but a testament to the cultural value placed on skilled handwork. It urges us to see how labor, material, and artistic vision converge.