De heilige familie rustend onder een boom 1633 - 1672

Willem Basse created this tiny etching, depicting the Holy Family resting under a tree, sometime in the 17th century. Think about the way an etching is made. A metal plate is coated with a waxy ground, into which the artist scratches a design with a needle. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. The longer the plate sits in the acid, the deeper the lines become, and the darker they will print. To produce a print like this one, the plate would be inked, wiped clean, and then run through a press with a sheet of paper. The paper is forced into the inked lines, picking up the image. The beauty of etching lies in its capacity for fine detail. You can see how Basse has used this to advantage, creating a delicate scene with a real sense of depth, all on a miniature scale. It’s a reminder that even the most technically demanding processes can result in an image of great intimacy.