Vooraanzicht van Kasteel Gunterstein, Breukelen 1680 - 1696

Joseph Mulder created this etching of Castle Gunterstein in Breukelen at the turn of the 18th century. Etching is an intaglio printmaking technique. The artist covers a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratches an image into it with a pointed tool. Immersing the plate in acid eats away the exposed lines, creating recessed areas. These are then inked, and the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the design. Mulder’s skill lies in using the etching process to capture the social life around the castle. Note the fine lines delineating the figures on horseback, the trees, and the architecture itself. The castle, a symbol of wealth and power, is set amidst an active scene of leisure. Each figure in the foreground, from the elegantly dressed to those at play, is rendered with sharp detail, showcasing Mulder's mastery of the etching medium. The print invites us to consider how techniques like etching could disseminate images of power, and what this might have meant for society at the time.