Petrus ontvangt de sleutels van Christus 1780 - 1851

Joseph Hunin made this print of “Petrus ontvangt de sleutels van Christus” using etching, a printmaking technique that democratized image production. The graphic quality of the etching, with its fine, precise lines, stems from the use of acid to bite into a metal plate. The artist would have covered the plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratched an image into the ground with a sharp needle. Immersing the plate in acid would then etch the exposed lines. This process allowed for detailed replications, making art accessible beyond paintings. It's fascinating to consider how this relatively hands-off process, relying on chemical reaction, allowed Hunin to spread this religious image so widely. The texture of the print, the slight variations in line weight, all hint at the artist’s hand, mediated by a process that speaks to the dawn of mechanical reproduction. The very act of multiplying images challenges traditional notions of art as unique and precious, raising questions about labor, value, and dissemination of ideas in a changing world.