Reverse Copy of Le Gentilhomme qui Salue Tenant son Feutre sous le Bras (The Gentleman who Bows Holding his Felt Hat under his Arm), from La Noblesse (The Nobility) 1625 - 1700

This print, of a bowing gentleman, was made anonymously, using etching on paper. Look closely, and you can see how the image is built up from a dense mesh of fine lines. The process involves coating a metal plate with wax, drawing through the wax to expose the metal, and then immersing the plate in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. Ink is then applied, and the plate is pressed onto paper. The etcher's skills are revealed in the textures and tones achieved by varying the depth and density of lines. As a multiple, prints like this one speak to the rise of a culture of commerce. They could be produced and sold relatively cheaply, making images available to a broad public. In this case, a member of the nobility is depicted, with his family. Consider the politics of such an image. Whose interests does it serve, and how does it reflect contemporary society? Paying attention to materials and making helps us understand the print's cultural significance, moving beyond traditional notions of fine art to consider its broader impact.