Twee acteurs met sabel en gepluimde hoed 1621

This tiny, lively print, titled "Two Actors with Saber and Plumed Hat," was made in the early 17th century by Paul Göttich. It’s a very modest thing, just 7 by 10 centimeters, and done using the intaglio process – meaning the image was incised into a metal plate, probably copper, and then printed onto paper. Look closely and you’ll see the crisp lines and the delicate hatching that gives form to the two figures. They are dressed for the stage, complete with swords and elaborate hats. The intaglio process allowed Göttich to create a relatively large number of impressions. This was crucial in a period when the printing press was becoming a powerful tool, not only for disseminating information but also images of all kinds. Consider that the artist was essentially working as a skilled technician, translating a scene into a repeatable format. He's participating in a culture of production, where art became more accessible and portable than ever before.