The Town of Leoni, near Frascati 1640

Bartholomeus Breenbergh made this etching of The Town of Leoni near Frascati in 1640, using an image-making process rooted in the labor-intensive craft of printmaking. To create this image, Breenbergh would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. He then used a sharp needle to scratch away lines, exposing the metal. When dipped in acid, these lines would be etched into the plate. The plate is then inked, and wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. The plate is then pressed onto paper. The final print, rendered in sepia tones, bears the marks of this mechanical process. The cross-hatched lines create shadow and volume, a testament to the artist's hand and eye, which are used to conjure a vision of ancient ruins, perhaps asking us to reflect on the labor required to build civilizations, and the impact of time on human structures. By focusing on the materials and processes of creation, we can appreciate the rich history embedded within this print, blurring the lines between traditional art and craft.