Man on Horseback holding a Falcon 1525 - 1550

This engraving of a man on horseback holding a falcon was made by Master IS sometime between 1500 and 1600. The medium, engraving, is significant. To make it, the artist would have used a tool called a burin to manually cut lines into a copper plate. The plate would then be inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the incised lines. Finally, the plate would be pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The result has a graphic clarity, a product of the slow, deliberate process. Consider the labor involved. Each line is a physical mark, and the image is built up from thousands of these. Though small, the print represents many hours of skilled work. This reveals an important aspect of printmaking – its accessibility. While a unique painting would only be available to one owner, engravings like this could be reproduced and distributed widely, democratizing access to imagery.