Saint George on Horseback Slaying the Dragon c. 1520

Daniel Hopfer made this print of Saint George slaying the dragon around the turn of the 16th century. Hopfer was a pioneer of etching, a printmaking process that gives an image a distinctive, wiry quality. Etching involves coating a metal plate with a waxy substance, then scratching an image into that coating. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites away at the exposed metal. This creates grooves that hold ink, which is then transferred to paper. The result here is a lively composition of a knight heroically stabbing a dragon. The landscape is rendered with a sharp, meticulous quality, achieved through the etching process. Hopfer was actually a professional armorer. He was among the first to apply his metalworking skills to printmaking. By bringing the techniques of the workshop to the graphic arts, Hopfer blurred the lines between craft and fine art, infusing this print with the dynamism of a skilled artisan.