Dubbelportret van Azzo VIII d'Este en Aldobrandino II d'Este, markiezen van Ferrara 1641

Caterino Doino made this small print, depicting Azzo VIII and Aldobrandino II d'Este, the Marquises of Ferrara. The medium is etching, a printmaking technique that uses acid to cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Look closely, and you can see the character of the etched line: crisp and precise where it defines the figures' features, and a bit looser in the rendering of their garments. The controlled quality of the line speaks to the etcher's skill. Printmaking was an important way to disseminate images in early modern Europe. The amount of labor and skill involved in creating the plate was considerable, but once it was ready, many identical impressions could be pulled. So this portrait, while depicting members of the ruling class, would have been relatively accessible to a wide audience. By understanding the making, we realize that this image served both to celebrate power and to circulate it.