Herdersfamilie in gesprek met een boerin 1747 - 1812

This image, "Herdersfamilie in gesprek met een boerin," was made by Pellegrino dal Colle around the late 18th century, using the intaglio printmaking technique of etching. Etching involves covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant layer, then scratching through this layer to expose the metal. When acid is applied, it bites into the exposed lines, creating an image that can be inked and printed. The fine lines and detailed shading we see here are characteristic of this process. The appeal of etching, relative to other printmaking techniques like engraving, was that it allowed for a more gestural approach. Artists could sketch directly onto the plate. The resulting prints, which could be multiplied and distributed widely, played a crucial role in disseminating images and ideas during the Enlightenment. This one offers an idealized vision of rural life, but the very fact of its manufacture reminds us of a growing urban, consumer culture.