Leende nar med en marotte 1595 - 1600

Jan Saenredam created this engraving, 'Leende nar med en marotte', using metal, probably copper, and acid. Saenredam was a master printmaker, known for the precision of his engraving technique. To create this print, he would have first coated a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Then, using a sharp tool called a burin, he incised lines into the ground, exposing the metal beneath. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves. The depth and width of these lines determined the amount of ink they would hold, and thus the darkness of the printed mark. In ‘Leende nar med en marotte’ the fineness of the lines is extraordinary; look closely, and you will see a network of very fine hatching, especially in the face. This demonstrates the incredible skill involved in this method of production, and also the huge amount of labour. Remember, too, that prints like this could be circulated widely, often more so than unique paintings. So in a sense, Saenredam was an early master of mechanical reproduction.