Dubbele acanthusrank met putto 1645

This print of acanthus leaves and a putto was made by Gabriel Ladame sometime in the 17th century. The image is etched into a metal plate, likely copper, using acid to bite the design, with the fine lines created to build up tone. The etcher carefully manipulated the metal, building up the image as they worked and revealing the design. Etching is a printmaking technique, which means this image could be reproduced many times with each impression being a product of Ladame’s labor. These prints were part of a much wider system of making and consumption. They would have been relatively inexpensive, and circulated widely, providing source material for other craftsmen in the production of luxury goods. It's easy to imagine how this image could find its way onto a piece of furniture, ceramics, or even metalwork. Prints like this one remind us of the vast landscape of skilled making that existed beyond the boundaries of fine art, and its interconnection with the broader economy.