Vignet met Poëzie met lier en zwaan in landschap met omlijsting 1727 - 1793

Leendert Brasser created this small etching titled, 'Vignet met Poëzie met lier en zwaan in landschap met omlijsting,' which translates to "Vignette with Poetry with lyre and swan in landscape with frame," in the 18th century. It’s a print, and it speaks to the era’s prevailing means of pictorial reproduction. Etching is a labor-intensive process. The artist covers a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then draws an image by cutting through this coating to expose the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which eats away at the exposed lines, creating grooves that hold ink. The final print captures the fine detail made possible by the etching process, such as the delicate lines forming the swan’s feathers and the textures of the natural surroundings. The inscription ‘Scientiarum Centrix’ points to the growing importance of scientific study during the enlightenment, linking labor, skill, and the production of images to wider social and intellectual movements. This etching invites us to consider how art, science, and craft intersect within the context of 18th-century society.