Wasting His Substance c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Jacques Callot's etching, "Wasting His Substance." The detailed line work makes me wonder about the social context of its production. What can you tell me about the materials and process? Curator: Callot was renowned for his etching technique. Consider the acid-resistant "hard ground" he used, enabling fine detail and mass production. This revolutionized printmaking and democratized images for consumption. How did this influence the accessibility of art? Editor: So, the printing process itself made the artwork more available to a wider audience? That's fascinating! Curator: Precisely. The materiality of the print, its affordability, allowed for broader distribution and engagement with social critiques embedded within the image. Something we still engage with today. Editor: I never considered the production influencing the message so directly. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: Likewise!