Helmeted head 1662 - 1678

Francis Place made this "Helmeted Head" using etching, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid to hold ink. Look closely, and you can see the result: a network of fine, deliberate scratches. The choice of etching is significant. Unlike the directness of drawing, etching allowed for the creation of multiple impressions. This boosted the circulation of images in early modern Europe. It was a burgeoning media landscape that could be considered as the dawn of mass culture. Notice how Place used this linear quality to describe the curves of the helmet, its ornate decoration, and the soft texture of the plume. While the subject is military, the effect is one of delicate beauty. The amount of labor that went into the etching shows how the status of the wearer is elevated. The relatively democratic medium of printmaking, made "Helmeted Head" accessible to a wider audience. This demonstrates the power of the graphic arts to spread ideas and aesthetics across social strata. It challenges traditional distinctions between high art and craft.