Gezicht op de kathedraal van Toledo 1694 - 1737

Pieter van den Berge created this print of the Toledo Cathedral using etching, a printmaking process dating back to the Middle Ages. The method involves coating a metal plate with wax, scratching an image into the wax, and then submerging the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, leaving behind incised lines, which are then inked and printed onto paper. Etching allowed artists to create detailed images that could be reproduced multiple times. The quality of the print depends on the artist's skill in applying the wax, drawing the image, and controlling the acid bath, and is tied to the artist's labor. This image is an accurate depiction of the Toledo Cathedral, but it also reflects the social context in which it was made. The people in the foreground, the horse-drawn carriages, and the architecture of the surrounding buildings all give us a glimpse into the daily life of 18th-century Toledo. Appreciating how van den Berge's print engages with craft, design, and materiality helps to reveal these rich layers of history.