Melkmeid met kruik op het hoofd 1685

Sébastien Leclerc I made this print of a milkmaid with a jug on her head using etching techniques. The character here is rendered with fine lines, creating shading and volume, and also a sense of light. Leclerc would have covered a copper plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then drawn the image with a sharp needle, exposing the metal beneath. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the lines, creating grooves that would hold ink. In thinking about this print, we might consider not only Leclerc’s artistry, but also the labor of the milkmaid, carrying a heavy jug as part of her daily work. The image idealizes her, yet it also makes her labor visible. By focusing on the material and social context of both the print and its subject, we can appreciate the rich layers of meaning embedded in this work.