Portret van Godfried Chodkiewicz, hertog van Moskou 1591 - 1651

Gerard Seghers made this etching of Godfried Chodkiewicz in the 17th century. The printmaking process demands planning and precision. First, the artist coats a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then draws an image through it with a needle. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. The plate is inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, paper is pressed against the plate, transferring the image. Consider the labor and the materials involved, from mining the metal to preparing the inks, this was a highly skilled trade. The result is a portrait, but also a testament to the industriousness of the printmaking workshop. Note the dense thicket of lines that define the Duke's beard and fur-lined coat. The very quality of the etched line speaks to the controlled intensity required of the printmaking process. This approach to materiality encourages us to appreciate the artistry embedded in the craft, blurring the lines between mere reproduction and original artistic expression.