Hippolyte 1620 - 1664

This is Stefano della Bella's rendering of Hippolyte, made with ink on paper. The method used was etching, a printmaking technique that relies on the controlled corrosion of metal. Think about the implications of that process. It's not as immediate as drawing; there’s planning and precision involved. Della Bella would have coated a metal plate with wax, then scratched his design into it, exposing the metal. This plate was then bathed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. The deeper the bite, the darker the line in the final print. The plate is then inked and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Etching allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images, catering to a growing market for art in early modern Europe. It democratized access to imagery, moving art beyond unique paintings or sculptures. So, next time you see an etching, consider the labor involved. It's a marriage of artistic vision and skilled craft.