Twee ovale deksels voor dozen en drie handvatten voor schalen before 1709

These designs for box lids and handles were created by an anonymous artist, using etching, a printmaking technique involving acid to incise lines into a metal plate. Look closely, and you'll notice that the material itself – a thin sheet of paper bearing printed lines – greatly influences the appearance of the artwork. The images are intricate, dense with detail, and have an improvisational quality. This effect results from the relative ease and speed of etching, which allowed the artist to work with a freedom not possible in other forms of metalwork. This print would have circulated as a pattern for silversmiths and other metalworkers. These craftsmen then translated the two-dimensional designs into three-dimensional objects made of precious metals. This process involved a different kind of labour, one that was slower, more physically demanding, and requiring different skills. Ultimately, understanding this artwork means appreciating the dialogue between design and making, paper and metal, and the distinct forms of labor involved in each.