Portret van Desiderius Erasmus 1778

Johann Heinrich Lips made this portrait of Desiderius Erasmus using etching, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid. Look closely, and you can see the density of marks that create shading and texture. The quality of the lines speaks to Lips' skill as a draughtsman and printmaker. He would have carefully controlled the depth of the lines by regulating the acid's strength and the immersion time, achieving a range of tonal values that give the portrait depth and realism. The process would have been labor-intensive and required specialized tools and knowledge. Etchings like this were often made for reproduction, allowing images to circulate widely. This connects the portrait to the growth of print culture and the commodification of images in the 18th century. The work involved in producing the etching also reminds us of the skilled labor behind even seemingly simple images, and the ways in which art and craft intersect in the production of prints.