Water (Aqua) 1606 - 1610

Jacob Matham made this small print called "Water" sometime before his death in 1631, using the intaglio process of engraving. Lines were carefully incised into a copper plate, which was then inked and printed onto paper. Look closely, and you can appreciate Matham’s skill. He has modulated the density of lines to create areas of dark and light, giving the image depth. This print wasn’t made to be unique, of course. It was made to be reproduced and distributed. Printmaking was, from the Renaissance onward, a crucial technology of communication. We might consider Matham, then, as not just an artist but also a skilled worker embedded in a system of production. The quality of the work reflects not only his artistry, but the value placed on skilled labor in the early modern period. Matham’s print reminds us that even seemingly "fine art" objects are deeply connected to the world of craft and industry.