Landschap met gezicht op het eiland Wight 1643

Wenceslaus Hollar made this etching, Landschap met gezicht op het eiland Wight, using metal and acid. The incised lines capture a landscape, complete with figures on horseback in the foreground. Etching involves covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, through which the artist scratches an image. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves that hold ink. The plate is then wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines, and printed onto paper. The result is a mirror image of the original design. The process speaks to a moment in the history of capitalism when image production became highly industrialized. Hollar was a prolific printmaker, and the relatively quick process of etching allowed him to meet a growing demand for views and scenes. By understanding the methods behind the making, we can see the cultural and historical context in which the work was made, and the important role of craft in fine art.