Schaatsers op het ijs bij een molen in de buurt van Penningsveer 1615 - 1645

This image of skaters by a mill near Penningsveer was etched by Esaias van de Velde. The etching is a type of printmaking where the artist scratches lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The stark contrast between the black lines and the white paper creates a dynamic scene of figures enjoying a day on the ice. Etching, unlike drawing, allows for the creation of multiples, and this connects the image to the rise of mercantile capitalism in the Dutch Golden Age. Prints were commodities, widely distributed, making art accessible to a broader public. The etching technique itself, with its reliance on skilled labor and mechanical reproduction, mirrors the period's emphasis on craft and trade. Van de Velde's choice of this medium democratized art, challenging traditional hierarchies and making images like this part of everyday life. Appreciating the material and processes of this image gives us insight into the culture of its time.