Slapende hond 1653 - 1672

Adriaen van de Velde created this etching, "Sleeping Dog," sometime in the mid-17th century. The technique of etching involves biting lines into a metal plate with acid, which is then inked and printed. Notice the linear quality of the image, and the way that van de Velde has used closely spaced lines to create areas of shadow, particularly on the dog's fur. This use of line is intrinsic to the etching process, and a testament to the artist's skill in manipulating the medium to achieve a range of tonal values. The etching process was critical to the democratization of images. It allowed artists to create multiple originals at relatively low cost, and to disseminate their work widely. This print, like many others made at the time, probably circulated among collectors and other artists. Appreciating the materiality and making of this work opens a window onto the broader world of artistic production and consumption in the Dutch Golden Age.