Glas-in-loodraam met koning Filips IV die afstand doet van de Nederlanden, 1648 1779

This 'stained glass window' representing King Philip IV was created by Jan Punt, a Dutch engraver, around 1748. It's an etching, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, using acid. The technique is crucial here. Think about the labor involved: the careful drawing, the painstaking work with etching needles, the biting of the plate in acid, and finally, the printing process itself. This wasn’t just about artistic vision; it was about skilled handwork, a whole chain of production. Consider the cultural context too. By the mid-18th century, the Dutch Republic had long been a major center for printmaking. This image then speaks not only to the historical event it depicts, but also to the Dutch mastery of printmaking as a medium of political and cultural expression. The choice of etching, with its capacity for fine detail and tonal variation, allows Punt to evoke the grandeur of the historical moment.