Portret van Maria Anna, koningin van Spanje 1670 - 1699

Matthijs van Marebeek made this portrait of Maria Anna, Queen of Spain, using etching. In this print, the lines are incised into a metal plate. The plate is covered in wax, the artist scratches away lines, and then the plate is dipped in acid to bite away at the exposed metal. It's a chemical, iterative process that requires an understanding of materials and the effects of acid on metal. It is indirect, as the artist works through a resist. Printmaking in this era was driven by the rise of a market for images, fueling specialized labor. Etchers skillfully reproduced portraits that circulated widely, standardizing imagery and disseminating power. The delicate lines and subtle tonal variations create a sense of depth and texture, mimicking the look of an oil painting but at a lower cost. The material of the print, the paper, further emphasizes the flatness and reproducibility of the image. It becomes clear that the making of this artwork, and the materials used, are crucial to understanding its historical and cultural significance.