Jakob ontmoet Rachel bij de bron 1615

Orazio Borgianni created this print, Jakob ontmoet Rachel bij de bron, using etching. The character of an etching relies on the artist’s skill and judgment, and on some very basic chemistry. The original drawing would have been created on a thin coating of wax or varnish, through which the artist scratched with a needle. The plate would then have been submerged in acid, which ate away at the exposed metal. The longer the submersion, the deeper the line. The result is an image that is fundamentally linear in character. You might compare it to drawing, but with a slightly furry, soft-edged quality. As with any print, the image is also reversed from the original. The cultural significance of etching lies in its capacity to disseminate images widely, making them accessible to a broad audience. It democratizes art by lowering the bar for entry, both for artists and consumers. So, even though the subject is biblical, the medium itself speaks to a wider social context.