Apollon c. 17th century

Stefano della Bella made this etching, Apollon, in the 17th century, using a metal plate, acid, and ink. Etching is an indirect process, with the artist drawing an image using a fine needle on a coated plate. The plate is then bathed in acid, which bites away the exposed lines. The incised lines hold ink, and are transferred to paper under great pressure in a printing press. Look closely, and you can see the embossed mark of the plate around the image. Etchings like this one were relatively quick to produce, and much cheaper than unique works of art. Della Bella made hundreds of prints like this, which catered to a growing market for art among the middle classes. His skill with line is on full display here, delineating Apollon’s figure, the landscape, and even the light emanating from the sun god. The efficiency of the etching process allowed artists like Della Bella to satisfy an increasing demand for images, reflecting new economic realities in Europe at the time.