The Beggars 1504 - 1514

Lucas van Leyden made this print, "The Beggars," using an etching technique. It’s essentially a kind of controlled corrosion. The artist would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then drawn the image, exposing the metal where the lines were desired. Acid would then be applied, biting into the metal to create grooves, and then the plate is inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, paper is pressed against the plate, transferring the ink to create the print. The process results in a quality of line unlike any other, creating a stark image, and allowing for finely detailed depictions of the figures. This image captures the hardship of the working class and a world of poverty and labor. Considering how the work was made gives us insight into the artist's creative process, and reveals the cultural significance embedded in its lines, thus challenging the divide between fine art and craft.