Portretten van twee onbekende vrouwen, beiden als herderin 1640

Crispijn van de Passe the Younger created this print of two unknown women, dressed as shepherdesses, sometime before his death in 1670. It’s an engraving, meaning the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, with a tool called a burin. The real artistry here lies in the engraver’s ability to translate tone and texture through line. Look closely, and you’ll see the incredible control van de Passe had over the burin, creating subtle gradations of light and shadow. The ruffs around their necks, for instance, are rendered with astonishing detail, conveying their delicate, pleated texture. The process itself speaks to a fascinating moment in the history of art. Printmaking allowed for the wider distribution of images, fueling a growing market for art among the middle classes. It also elevated the status of the engraver, who was now not just a craftsman, but an interpreter and disseminator of artistic ideas. It reminds us that art is not just about individual genius, but also about the social and economic forces that shape its production and consumption.