Stallen aan de zuidzijde van Paleis Soestdijk 1725 - 1747

Hendrik de Leth created this print of the stables on the south side of Soestdijk Palace using etching, a printmaking technique dependent on the controlled corrosion of metal. In this process, a metal plate, likely copper, is coated with a waxy, acid-resistant substance. The artist then scratches an image into the coating, exposing the metal beneath. When the plate is submerged in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating recessed grooves. These grooves hold ink, which is then transferred to paper under high pressure. Consider the labor involved: the meticulous preparation of the plate, the artist's skilled hand guiding the etching needle, the printer carefully inking and pressing each image. The proliferation of prints like this one in the 18th century depended on a network of skilled artisans and merchants, all contributing to a growing visual culture. Appreciating the print means recognizing the collaborative effort embedded in its very surface.