Gezicht op de Amstel bij herberg het Kalfje 1708 - 1740

This print, "View of the Amstel at the Inn Het Kalfje", was made by Matthijs Pool sometime before 1740. It’s rendered in etching, a printmaking process rooted in skilled labor. The image begins as a polished metal plate, often copper. The etcher coats the plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Using a sharp needle, the artist scratches through the ground, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Ink is applied to the plate, filling the etched lines. The surface is wiped clean, and finally, paper is pressed against the plate, transferring the ink to create the print. The etched lines lend a precise quality to the image, a scene on the river Amstel near a popular inn, meticulously rendered for widespread circulation. The etching process allowed for the mass production of images, which is tied to an expanding commercial culture in Pool’s time, in which luxury items were increasingly available, and leisure activities came into view. This print reflects this context, capturing a moment of leisure and the infrastructure that supported it.