Adam Possibly 1522

Daniel Hopfer made this etching, Adam, sometime in the late 15th or early 16th century using iron. Not copperplate, which was the norm. Hopfer was a pioneer. He was among the first to apply the techniques of etching to printmaking. Etching is an indirect intaglio process, meaning the image is incised into a metal plate using acid. The plate is covered with a waxy ground, and the artist scratches through this to expose the metal. Then, the plate is immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. This creates the image. The plate is then inked, wiped clean, and printed onto paper. The choice of iron as a material and the etching process itself are important to consider. Hopfer was an arms and armor etcher. Because of his craft, he was more familiar working with iron than copper. This reveals an artist pulling from their own history of creative practices, while showing the links of craft and fine art. Hopfer embraced the effects of the acid, such as the rough, uneven lines, and this gives the print a powerful, expressive quality.