Buste van een man met een pijp op zijn hoed 1694

In 1694, Nicolaes van Haeften created this image of a man wearing a pipe on his hat. It’s an etching, meaning the artist covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratched his design into that layer, exposing the metal beneath. The whole plate was then submerged in acid, which bit away at the lines, leaving an image in relief. Ink was then applied, the surface wiped clean, and paper pressed down to receive the image. The distinct line quality is a direct result of this process – precise, controlled, but also capable of capturing a striking likeness. The medium itself would have been considered a craft, more aligned with the work of artisans than high art. Van Haeften elevates it to a potent study of character, capturing not just the man's features, but also perhaps his station in life. Ultimately, the etching shows how “minor” media can achieve major artistic statements, giving us intimate access to a world long past.