Heuvelachtig landschap 1758 - 1762

François Deroy made this print, Heuvelachtig landschap, using etching, a printmaking technique that relies on acid to bite into a metal plate. Lines are drawn through a protective coating, then the plate is submerged in acid, which etches the exposed metal. This is a traditional means of image production. The resulting plate is then inked and printed, transferring the image to paper. The fine lines and delicate shading you see here are characteristic of etching, and the material qualities of the metal plate and the corrosive action of the acid are essential to the image’s appearance. This process demands careful control and expertise to achieve the desired level of detail and tone. Beyond the landscape and figures, the print also reveals a glimpse into the world of artistic collaboration and labor, in which the contribution of individual artisans were carefully tracked. This is indicated by the inscriptions at the bottom, which credit Teniers with the image’s initial conception.