Huwelijk van Maria en Jozef 1640 - 1678

This print, “Marriage of Maria and Joseph,” is an etching on paper, likely made sometime in the 16th or 17th century. The anonymous artist who made it would have used a sharp needle to draw the image onto a wax-coated metal plate. Then, the plate would have been bathed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. The deeper the bite, the darker the line when printed. The plate would then be inked and pressed onto paper, leaving us with the image you see here. The act of etching is all about control – carefully planning the composition, modulating the pressure of the needle, timing the acid bath. And yet, there’s also an element of chance – the acid might bite unevenly, the ink might spread unpredictably. This interplay between intention and accident gives the print its unique character. Looking at this print, we can appreciate not just the image itself, but also the skilled labor that went into its making, and the unique qualities of the materials and process involved. It challenges us to expand our understanding of art, and to appreciate the value of craft in all its forms.