Bij onweer wordt een putto met kaars en dolk in de voet gebeten door een slang 1751 - 1816

This engraving was made by Reinier Vinkeles, using a technique rooted in the repetitive labor of mark-making. Engraving is an intaglio process, which means the image is incised into a plate, traditionally copper, using a tool called a burin. The artist pushes the burin across the surface, creating clean, precise lines. Ink is then applied to the plate, filling these lines, and the surface is wiped clean. High pressure forces the paper into the inked grooves to produce the final print. Consider the sheer number of individual strokes required to build up this image of a putto bitten by a snake. The network of lines creates tone, texture, and form. This wasn’t a quick process, but a labour-intensive method demanding skill and patience. In appreciating this print, we should acknowledge the artist's technical mastery and the hours of work embedded in the final image. By recognizing the labour involved, we can move beyond merely considering its aesthetic qualities.