A man pulling a net with two figures behind him, from the series 'Figurine' 1651 - 1661

Salvator Rosa made this etching, 'A man pulling a net with two figures behind him', without a specific date, using a metal plate, acid, and printing press. Unlike painting or sculpture, etching involves indirect processes. Rosa would have coated a metal plate with wax, drawn his composition, and then immersed the plate in acid, which bites away the exposed lines. Ink is then forced into these lines, and the image transferred to paper under great pressure. The etched lines create a stark contrast, emphasizing the physical strain of the man pulling the net, and the desperation of the figures behind him. This printmaking method, capable of producing multiple originals, democratizes art, making it accessible beyond elite circles. Consider how the labor-intensive process of etching mirrors the labor depicted in the scene. It challenges traditional art hierarchies by highlighting the value of skilled handwork and its connection to broader social realities.