Koeien after 1635

This print, *Koeien*, was made by Frederick Bloemaert in the 17th century, using the technique of etching. Consider the way that the etched lines build up to create tone and texture. Notice, for instance, the rendering of the animals' hides. This was not a quick or simple process; each line bitten into the metal plate with acid, then printed onto paper. Prints like this one circulated widely in Bloemaert's time, allowing artists to disseminate their ideas and imagery to a broad audience. They were a crucial component of the early modern information economy, a kind of proto-capitalism. The very act of etching—a process of controlled destruction and recreation—speaks to the complex relationship between labor, production, and the dissemination of artistic vision. The images reflect a society ever more aware of itself, and its place in the natural world. Though seemingly simple, this print exemplifies the transformative power of accessible art, made possible by skilled craft and innovative technology.