Oude Spaanse man 1569

This is ‘Oude Spaanse man’, or ‘Old Spanish Man’, an etching made by Ferando Bertelli. The artist used a metal plate and acid to create this print. Observe how the etched lines give shape to the man’s garments and facial features. Bertelli’s method involved coating a metal plate with wax, then drawing through it to expose the metal. When immersed in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves that hold ink. The plate is then pressed onto paper, leaving the design behind. Prints like this one were made for wide distribution. While the technique required skill, it allowed for the relatively fast production of images in multiples. In its time, this print would have been more like a page from a magazine than a precious object displayed on a wall. By considering the social context and the method, we can understand this print not just as a picture, but as a product of its time.