Maria met Christus en Johannes de Doper 1633 - 1672

Willem Basse created this image of Maria with Christ and John the Baptist, using etching, a printmaking technique. The etched lines create a sense of depth, with the figures emerging from the background. The crispness of the line allows for fine details, such as the folds in Maria’s robes. The artist would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratched an image into it with a special needle. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. Ink was applied to the plate, filling these grooves, and then the surface was wiped clean. Finally, the image was transferred to paper under high pressure. In Basse's time, printmaking was an increasingly important industry. It was a way to disseminate images to a wider audience, and was connected to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. Understanding this context allows us to fully appreciate the artistic ingenuity and cultural significance of the work.