Karper en houting 1581 - 1656

Nicolaes de Bruyn made this print of a carp and a houting using an etching technique. This process involves coating a metal plate with a waxy substance, then drawing an image onto the wax. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal. The plate is inked, and then pressed onto paper, resulting in a print with fine, delicate lines. The technique is particularly well-suited for capturing the textures and patterns of the fishes' scales, and the subtle gradations of tone that give them volume and weight. But etchings are also labor-intensive to produce; each print requires skill and care. We might consider this in relation to the depicted fish: were they themselves destined for the dinner table, or collected as specimens for scientific observation? The print serves as a kind of preservation, rendering a fleeting moment of labor into a more enduring cultural artifact.