Drie handen en één paar handen steunend op een stok 1620 - 1664

Stefano della Bella made this print, 'Three Hands and a Pair of Hands Resting on a Stick,' using etching, a printmaking process, in the 17th century. Think about what it takes to make an etching; the skilled labor of drawing with a needle through a wax ground, the corrosive action of acid biting into the metal plate, and the muscle-powered presswork to transfer the image to paper. Della Bella shows us hands, the instruments through which all labor flows. He focuses our attention on the very tools that give rise to craft and artistic production. But these are not the idealized hands of the aristocracy. Instead, Della Bella gives us working hands, complete with creases, veins, and musculature. By rendering these hands with such care, Della Bella elevates the everyday and celebrates the dignity of labor. Next time you see a print, remember that its apparent simplicity belies the intricate dance of hand, tool, and material that brings it into being.