Plate 2: The Creation of Man (Hominis creatio), from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' 1606

Antonio Tempesta made this etching, "The Creation of Man," sometime around 1600, illustrating a scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The image is achieved through the labor-intensive process of etching, where lines are bitten into a metal plate with acid, then inked and printed. Each impression requires careful wiping and printing, resulting in subtle variations. Look closely, and you can see how the density of the etched lines creates tonal variation, giving depth to the figures of God and Adam, and the surrounding landscape teeming with animals. This was a luxury product, made possible by a whole chain of economic relations. In this work, the making is inextricably linked to the meaning. Consider the skilled labor and the flow of capital required to produce even a small print like this. The very material and processes involved speak to the complex social and economic structures of the time, inviting us to see beyond the surface narrative.