Portret van Janus Secundus met een medaillon met het portret van Julia 1570 - 1595

This print, "Portret van Janus Secundus met een medaillon met het portret van Julia" was created by Paulus van Wtewael. This intimate portrait was made through etching, an intaglio printmaking technique. The image begins with a metal plate, likely copper. The artist would coat it with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, and then draw through it with a sharp needle. Immersing the plate in acid would bite lines into the metal where exposed, creating an incised image. Ink is then forced into these lines and the surface wiped clean, allowing the image to be transferred onto paper under pressure. Here, the fineness of the etched line allows for delicate shading, capturing the sitter's likeness and the folds of his clothing. The choice of printmaking democratized image production; prints like these were relatively affordable and circulated widely, playing a crucial role in disseminating knowledge and artistic ideas across Europe. It brings fine art to the masses.