Johannes de Doper 1485 - 1490

This tiny copperplate engraving, depicting Saint John the Baptist, was made by the Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet, sometime in the late 15th century. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to incise lines into a polished copper plate. Ink was then applied to the plate and wiped off, remaining only in the etched lines. Paper was then pressed against the plate, transferring the image. The texture is defined by a mass of small lines, each one precisely placed. Notice the hatching effect, creating a strong sense of depth and tone despite the diminutive size of the artwork. The image’s material qualities are integral to its meaning. The labor intensive method speaks to the value placed on the work. And its reproducibility means that it could circulate widely, spreading the spiritual message far beyond its place of origin. The Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet demonstrates that even in the age of mechanical reproduction, hand skills remained central to the creative process.