Man te paard en honden jagen op een hert 1595

Antonio Tempesta made this etching of a hunting scene sometime around 1600, using a copper plate and acid. Etching is a printmaking technique that relies on the corrosive action of acid to create lines in a metal plate. The plate is covered with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, into which the artist scratches the design. The process requires careful control and precision, with the depth and darkness of the lines dependent on the time the plate is exposed to the acid. This kind of printmaking emerged in the 16th century as a way to produce images in multiples, offering wider distribution than unique drawings or paintings. Notice the incredible amount of detail. Tempesta would have needed a delicate touch to create the gradations of tone, and to capture the dynamic energy of the hunt. Although it looks like a traditional subject, prints like these were a new phenomenon that changed the landscape of visual culture forever. They democratized images, making them available to a wider audience than ever before.