The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist 1663

This small print, The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist, was made anonymously using etching. Here, a metal plate is coated with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, and the design is scratched into it. The plate is then bathed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. Ink fills these grooves, the surface is wiped clean, and the image is transferred to paper under high pressure. The etcher's skill is evident in the varying line weights, achieved through differences in pressure and immersion time in the acid bath. This allows for a subtle tonal range, a striking contrast for such a small work. Etching, unlike engraving, allowed for a more freehand, painterly approach. Its rise was tied to that of printmaking as a commercial enterprise; prints like these made art accessible to a wider audience and were often circulated as models for larger paintings. In this way, the technique democratized both artistic creation, and its consumption. Recognizing the process involved gives a great sense of the value of these prints.