De honden en de ezel 1773

This print, "De honden en de ezel," was made by Reinier Vinkeles, sometime between 1741 and 1816. Its lines were etched into a copper plate, a skilled and painstaking process. Look closely, and you’ll see that everything – the dogs, the water, even the sky – is created by networks of fine marks. Vinkeles likely used a sharp tool called a burin to cut these lines into the metal. The plate would then be inked and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Prints like this were part of a burgeoning media landscape, making images widely accessible. Etching allowed for detailed reproduction, fulfilling a growing demand for visual information and entertainment in a pre-photographic age. The labor involved in creating this print – the skilled hand of the etcher, the mechanics of the printing press – speaks to the changing landscape of art production. It was a world where craft and industry began to merge, reaching an ever-wider audience. By appreciating this, we recognize the role of skilled artisans in shaping visual culture, beyond traditional notions of fine art.