Reclining female nude 1658

Rembrandt van Rijn made this etching of a reclining female nude using metal, acid, and ink. The etched lines define her form and create areas of light and shadow. The density of the lines gives volume to her body, while the stark contrast emphasizes the textures of the skin and the rumpled fabric beneath her. It’s a very labor-intensive process to create an etching: Rembrandt would have covered a metal plate with a waxy ground, then drawn into the ground with a sharp needle. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Finally, the plate was inked and wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines, before being pressed onto paper. In Rembrandt's time, etchings were not just artistic endeavors; they were commodities, produced for a growing art market. The labor involved in creating the etching, from the skilled hand of the artist to the materials used, reflects the complex relationship between art, labor, and consumption in 17th-century Europe. And so, we might consider how the economics of printmaking influenced Rembrandt's creative process.