Man met vuurpot op een rocaille 1719 - 1749

This etching, made by Philipp Andreas Degmair, depicts a man with a fire pot, set within a rocaille frame. The process of etching involves coating a metal plate with wax, scratching an image into the wax, and then submerging the plate in acid, which bites away at the exposed metal, creating lines. The meticulous work and skill involved in etching is evident in the intricate details of the rocaille frame and the shading that gives depth to the scene. The image appears as a winter scene, a man hunched over a fire for warmth, surrounded by symbols of the season: bare trees, hunting tools, and winter birds. The choice of etching as a medium is significant. It allowed for the reproduction of images, making them more widely accessible, reflecting broader shifts in production and consumption during the 18th century. Here, the skilled labor of the artist intersects with the burgeoning print culture, blurring the lines between craft and industry.