Ongelijke liefde 1655 - 1700

This print titled “Unequal Love” was made by Jan van Somer using the mezzotint technique. The process involves roughening a copper plate with a tool called a rocker, creating a surface that would print solid black. The artist then works back into this field of black, burnishing and scraping to create lighter areas. Notice how the velvety darks give way to soft gradations of light, capturing the scene's intimate mood. The texture created by the mezzotint technique almost seems to mimic the rough textures of the figures’ clothing and the wooden barrel. The labor-intensive nature of mezzotint meant that it was often used for reproducing paintings, making art accessible to a wider audience. Consider the social context here: the print makes an image available for consumption, but also required skilled labor to produce. In this sense, the print is an object embedded in the era's political economy. This print challenges traditional notions of fine art by highlighting the artistry involved in reproductive printmaking.