Man bij muurtje, gekleed in een rhingrave kostuum en wijde mantel

This print, by Sébastien Leclerc I, shows a man in a rhingrave costume and wide cloak, and was made using etching. The artist incised lines into a metal plate with a needle, then applied acid to deepen the lines; after inking the plate, it was printed onto paper. The essence of the image lies in the precision of the line work, which gives a sense of the textures and weights of different fabrics. Consider the layers of production involved: from the cultivation of flax or wool, to spinning and weaving, to the cutting and tailoring of the clothes themselves. All this labour is captured in Leclerc's design. The print gives us insight into the social and economic values placed on clothing during this period, and the amount of work involved in the production process. Looking closely at materials, making and context helps us understand its full meaning and challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.