De wreedheid van de stier, 1647 18th century

This print, "De wreedheid van de stier," was made in 1647 in the Netherlands by an anonymous artist, using etching. This intaglio process involves covering a metal plate with a waxy ground, drawing through it with a needle to expose the metal, and then submerging the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed lines, leaving an image that can then be inked and printed. The material qualities of the print – its crisp, dark lines and the stark contrast between ink and paper – lend a sense of immediacy and drama to this rather bizarre scene. A bull gores a man as his wife is launched into the air holding a kite, while villagers watch, and a windmill stands serenely in the background. It's worth considering the labor involved in the production of prints like this. Each one had to be made individually. This etching reflects the era’s tumultuous social and economic changes, as well as the rise of new, and often dangerous, forms of labor. The artist makes no distinction between fine art and craft, using a medium and subject matter that are both highly accessible.