Eurydice gedood door een slang 1600 - 1649

This print, "Eurydice Killed by a Snake," was made by Daniël Herreyns. It's made using etching, a process where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid, then filled with ink and transferred to paper. The physical qualities of this print—the fineness of the lines, the subtle gradations of tone—are all a result of the etcher's skill and patience. It involved multiple stages of acid-biting to achieve the desired depth of line. Look closely, and you'll see the range of marks that Herreyns was able to coax from the etching process. The technique lends itself to intricate detail, evident in the rendering of the figures' draperies, and the landscape. Prints like this one were more than just aesthetic objects. They were a key part of the information economy, circulating images and ideas across Europe. By understanding the material process behind this print, we appreciate how craft, technology, and commerce intersected in the early modern period.