Sater aan tafel bij een boeren familie 1677

Andreas Scheits made this etching, ‘Satyr Visiting a Peasant Family,’ around 1677 using the printmaking technique of etching. The labor-intensive process involves coating a metal plate with a waxy ground, through which the artist draws, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. These grooves hold ink, which is transferred to paper under high pressure, producing the final image. In this example, the artist is representing the everyday life of a peasant family, and the intrusion of a mythological satyr. The visual texture achieved through etching lends a gritty realism to the scene, emphasizing the rustic quality of the interior and the worn faces of the peasants. The artist's choice of the etching technique, typically used for replicating images, allows for a wide dissemination of this scene. This invites reflection on the labor involved in both agricultural life and artistic production, challenging any high or low distinctions. Both the family in the image and the artist rely on skills and labor to make a living.