Saturnus en Venus 1731 - 1775

This pairing of Saturn and Venus was etched by Jakob Wangner in the 18th century using a technique that allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images. This printmaking process involved incising lines into a metal plate, inking the surface, and then wiping it clean so that ink remained only in the etched lines. The plate was then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The fineness of the lines, and the subtle gradations of tone, speak to the skills of the printmaker who has mastered the control of pressure and depth of lines to create the image. In Wangner’s time, printed images were becoming increasingly popular and affordable, thanks to innovations in production. This facilitated the wider circulation of ideas and aesthetics, like the allegorical depictions of Saturn and Venus. Understanding the material process here is key, because the print medium enabled the wide distribution and consumption of this imagery, which reflected and reinforced the social values of the era. It challenges the traditional boundaries between fine art and craft.