Koepeldecoratie met oudtestamentische figuren en engelen 1695

Francesco Faraone Aquila created this print, "Koepeldecoratie met oudtestamentische figuren en engelen", using etching techniques. The print's appearance is defined by the linear quality that is created when the artist scratches lines into a metal plate, applies ink to the plate, and transfers it to paper. This is a process of multiplication, and these prints would have been relatively accessible as devotional or decorative objects. The controlled, precise, and skillful lines create the texture, weight and form of the clouds, figures, and draperies depicted. Consider the labor involved. Beyond Aquila, there would be people responsible for pulling the prints. There are deep traditions of printmaking as a skilled craft. But prints like this one also belong to the history of the mass production of images, and their widespread consumption. Understanding the material and its making helps us to grasp its cultural importance, questioning what we consider to be fine art.