Landschap met jager aan een ven 1535 - 1604

Étienne Dupérac created this landscape with a hunter in the 16th century using the intaglio printmaking technique of etching. The fine lines of the scene, from the hunter’s stance to the distant buildings, were created by drawing into a waxy ground applied to a metal plate, which was then exposed to acid. This laborious process allowed for the creation of a detailed composition, with the acid biting into the metal to produce lines that hold ink. The softness of the etching process gives the print a unique atmospheric quality. Dupérac captures not just the likeness of the landscape, but a certain mood. The texture of the paper is also important here; its slight roughness contrasts with the precision of the etched lines. The act of printing then transfers this image onto the page, ready for distribution and consumption. Considering the labor and skill involved in creating the original plate, and the multiple prints that could be made from it, helps us to appreciate the intersection of art, craft, and commerce in Dupérac's time.