Drie maskers, waarvan twee met hoorns 1611

Pieter Feddes van Harlingen made this work, Three Masks, two of which have horns, using etching. This printmaking technique involves drawing with a sharp needle on a metal plate covered with wax. The plate is then bathed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. Once inked, the plate will transfer the design onto paper. The effect is delicate, linear, and reproducible. Think of the way that industrialization multiplied forms, and you get a sense of the context in which this image was made. Printmaking offered artists a way to circulate their ideas widely. The etched lines in the artwork allow for intricate details, capturing the grotesque expressions of the masks. The contrast between light and shadow enhances the dramatic quality of the faces, especially the horned figures on either side. The labor involved in etching is painstaking. Yet the result is an image that can be shared and consumed, making it a powerful medium for social commentary and artistic expression. This reminds us that even seemingly traditional art forms are deeply intertwined with the wider world of production and consumption.