Vignet met hond en harten 1722 - 1784

This print, Vignet met hond en harten, was made by Simon Fokke in the 18th century. It is an etching, a printmaking process that relies on the corrosive properties of acid. Fokke would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, and then scratched his design into this coating, exposing the metal beneath. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. This process would be repeated to control the depth and thickness of lines. Ink was then applied, the surface wiped clean, and the print pulled by pressing paper against the plate. The appeal of etching lay in its comparative ease and directness; unlike engraving, it allowed for a more fluid, calligraphic line. This one is especially linear, more diagrammatic than pictorial. It would have been a relatively quick mode of production, suitable for a range of printed ephemera. The focus on line also draws attention to the symbolic images, like the house, dog, and hearts, all carefully placed in the composition.