Book Cover (Two Flower Vases) 1656

This book cover featuring two vases of flowers was created by Sébastien Leclerc I in the 17th century using etching. Etching is a printmaking technique using acid to corrode the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio. The precision of line in this print is remarkable. Leclerc would have coated a metal plate with wax, then drawn through it with a sharp needle to expose the metal. Immersing the plate in acid would then bite away the exposed lines, leaving an incised image. This was then inked and printed. Although the image depicts something very familiar – a vase of flowers – the level of skill required to produce the etching, and the relatively high cost of printing, would have made this an expensive object. The book it adorned would have been a precious thing, handled with care. This reminds us that even seemingly simple images can carry significant social and economic meaning, depending on how they were made and for whom.