Bas-reliëf met Hercules en Deïanira 1636 - 1647

This etching, made by Gabriel Ladame in the 17th century, depicts Hercules and Deianira in low relief. It’s an image conjured through incising lines on a copper plate. The process of etching involves covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, and then drawing through this coating with a sharp needle. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal, creating the lines that will hold ink. After removing the wax, the plate is inked, wiped clean, and then pressed against a sheet of paper, transferring the image. Look closely, and you’ll see how the crisp precision of the etched line lends itself well to the depiction of classical figures, emphasizing their muscularity and dramatic poses. The linear precision also suggests a mass production, a means to disseminate classical stories to a wider audience. This print, therefore, sits at the intersection of artistic skill, mythology, and early capitalist enterprise, blurring the lines between craft and industry.