Jupiter wordt gezoogd door de geit Amalthea 1696 - 1727

This print, made by Matthijs Pool, shows the infant Jupiter being suckled by the goat Amalthea. It’s made using the technique of etching, where lines are bitten into a metal plate with acid, and then inked to make a print. Now, prints like this were often made in series and sold to a broad public. So, while the image depicts a scene of elite mythology, the making of the image was deeply tied to commerce and consumption. The fine, delicate lines are characteristic of etching, and would have required considerable skill to execute. The entire process, from the preparation of the plate to the final print, involved time, labor, and expertise. This is a perfect reminder that what may seem like a 'fine art' really has a very direct relationship to labor and production. It challenges us to think about the social context and the economic realities of the time.