Title Page: Characaturas by Leonardo da Vinci, from Drawings by Wincelslaus Hollar, out of the Portland Museum 1786

This title page was etched by Wenceslaus Hollar in the 1700s, advertising his prints of caricatures by Leonardo da Vinci. Hollar was a master of etching, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The material quality of this print is crucial to its impact. Look closely, and you'll notice the delicate lines and the subtle variations in tone. These are achieved through the careful manipulation of acid, which bites into the metal plate to create the design. The process demands precision and control. Hollar's skill is evident in the way he translates da Vinci's drawings into a new medium, while maintaining their expressive power. Beyond its aesthetic qualities, this print also speaks to the rise of print culture and the commercialization of art. By reproducing and distributing images of da Vinci's caricatures, Hollar made them accessible to a wider audience. This was a key development in the history of art, paving the way for the mass production and consumption of images that we take for granted today.