Ornament with Grotesque 1616

This Ornament with Grotesque was created by Master CR in the 16th or 17th century using etching, a printmaking technique that democratized image production. The process begins with a metal plate coated in a waxy ground. The artist then scratches an image into the ground, exposing the metal. When the plate is submerged in acid, the exposed lines are etched into the surface. Ink is applied, filling the etched lines, and then the surface is wiped clean. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The material quality of this print—the fineness of the lines, the subtle gradations of tone—results from the artist’s skilled manipulation of acid and ink. The print embodies a tension between handmade artistry and mechanical reproduction. The Ornament with Grotesque exemplifies how printmaking blurred the lines between art and craft, engaging with wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption through the increased availability of imagery.