Apollo Killing the Python 1565 - 1750

This print, "Apollo Killing the Python," was made by Robert Willemsz de Baudous sometime before 1659. Its medium is engraving, a printing process reliant on the manual skill of the artist. Consider the labor involved in its creation. An engraver uses a tool called a burin to incise an image into a metal plate. The lines created in this way hold ink, which is then transferred to paper under great pressure. Look closely, and you can see the crisp, precise lines that define the figures of Apollo and the dragon-like Python. Notice how the density of the lines creates areas of shadow and depth, giving the image its dramatic quality. Engraving was a skilled trade, demanding years of training. While it could be used for artistic expression, it was also a means of mass production, allowing images to be disseminated widely. Appreciating this print means recognizing both the artistic skill and the social context of its making. It’s a reminder that even seemingly simple images are the result of considerable labor, skill, and tradition.