Onderboezem met vrouw in nis c. 1655 - 1657

Antoine Pierretz created this print of a chimneypiece with a woman in a niche using etching. The process begins with a copper plate covered in a waxy ground. The artist then uses a needle to draw through the ground, exposing the metal. When the plate is dipped in acid, the drawn lines are “bitten” into the surface. Ink is then applied and the plate is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines, before being printed. The image shows a classical chimneypiece, crowned by a statue. The precision achieved through etching lends an air of authority. This reflects the fashion for classical design in the 18th century, which looked back to ancient Greece and Rome for its inspiration. Yet the print also testifies to an emerging division of labor. A designer like Pierretz could disseminate their ideas widely through printed form, without necessarily being involved in the physical construction of the chimneypiece itself. The image thus stands as a testament to both artistic skill and the changing landscape of production.