Wapenschild met ruit onder baldakijn 1625

This small shield with a diamond shape under a baldachin was made anonymously, using the technique of etching. The etcher would have covered a metal plate with a waxy ground, drawn into it with a sharp needle to expose the metal, and then bathed the plate in acid. The longer the plate was left in the acid, the deeper the lines would be etched. This painstaking process is clearly visible in the precise, delicate lines that define the baldachin and drapery, all the way to the small tassels. The design is a testament to the etcher's skill and labor, a blend of technical expertise and artistry. It also reflects the social context of its creation, during the rise of printmaking, as such designs would have been used to spread ideas and emblems widely. Paying attention to material and making, we can see that this modest print has a much broader cultural significance.