Personificatie van tijd 1710s

Arnold Houbraken created this print, Personification of Time, using etching. This is an intaglio process, where the artist covers a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratches an image into the ground with a needle. The plate is then bathed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal. Here, Houbraken carefully controlled the strength of the acid, and the time of submersion. The longer a line was exposed, the deeper and darker it would appear when printed. This print’s visual impact comes from the density of lines. The close-packed hatching gives form to the figure, and the contrasting areas of light and shadow lend the allegorical scene drama. Consider the labor involved in creating such a print. From the preparation of the plate, to the skillful scratching of the design, to the controlled use of acid, every step requires expertise. This was not just a mode of artistic expression, but an artisanal trade, demanding meticulous skill and precision. By attending to this process, we can appreciate how knowledge and skilled labor are imbued in the image.