Tobias en de engel onderweg 1620

Moyses van Wtenbrouck created this etching, "Tobias en de engel onderweg," using metal plates and acid to create the image. The process begins with a metal plate, often copper or zinc, covered with a waxy, acid-resistant substance. The artist then draws through this coating, exposing the metal. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed lines are etched into the surface. The depth of the lines, and therefore the darkness of the printed image, is controlled by the amount of time the plate is exposed to the acid. This meticulous, labor-intensive process creates the fine lines and intricate details. Here, the varying densities of those lines create the illusion of light and shadow, volume, and space. Think of the artist, bent over the plate, carefully incising the design, line by line. The printmaking tradition was often seen as a ‘lesser’ art than painting or sculpture. Yet, understanding the labor and skill involved invites us to appreciate the work on its own terms.