Sebaldus Nothanker in Alkmaar 1776

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki made this etching, Sebaldus Nothanker in Alkmaar, using a metal plate, likely copper, to create this intricate scene. Notice how the incised lines define forms and textures, from the wooden beams of the ceiling to the folds in the characters' clothing. The etching process itself is labor-intensive, involving coating the plate with a waxy ground, drawing through it with a needle, and then bathing the plate in acid to bite the exposed lines. The depth of the lines determines the amount of ink they hold, and therefore the darkness of the printed line. This print is from a series illustrating a novel, and was thus intended for wide distribution and consumption, aligning it with early forms of mass media. Chodowiecki’s skill in rendering detail and narrative is evident, but so is the industrial logic of printmaking, a process that allows for the reproduction and dissemination of images to a broad audience, influencing social tastes and cultural values. Appreciating the print means understanding the physical and social process behind its making.