Titelprent voor 'Historie Van de Reformatie der Kerke van Engeland' van Gilbert Burnet 1685

Romeyn de Hooghe created this etching, the title page for Gilbert Burnet's 'History of the Reformation of the Church of England', using a technique that was very much of its time. Etching allowed for detailed lines and tonal variations through the controlled corrosion of a metal plate, typically copper or zinc. The plate would first be coated with a waxy, acid-resistant substance called ground. The artist then scratches through this ground with a needle, exposing the metal beneath. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed lines are etched, creating grooves. The depth, and therefore the darkness of the printed line, is controlled by the amount of time the plate is exposed to the acid. Once etched, the plate is inked and wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. A sheet of paper is then pressed against the plate, transferring the ink and creating the print. This process requires great skill and precision. The final print bears witness to the artist's hand, and also the social and political context in which it was created, with meticulous lines that tell a story of religious and political upheaval.