Staande soldaat met speer 1630 - 1665

This print, "Standing Soldier with Spear," was made by Salomon Savery, a Dutch Golden Age printmaker. He used a process called etching to create the image. It involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant material, then scratching an image into the wax, and finally, bathing the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating recessed lines that hold ink, and the result is a highly detailed intaglio print. Savery was from a family of artists, and prints like this were often made for reproduction and distribution. Consider how the mode of production influences the image itself, and the way that the work is distributed to a wider audience than a painting. The image reflects the military culture of the time, but it also gives us a glimpse into the technical skill and labor involved in printmaking. It reminds us that art is not just about the final image, but also about the materials, the making, and the social context in which it was created.