Schrijfvoorbeeld: Evite et fuy les fauses et mauvaises 1614

This print was made by Jodocus Hondius in the late 16th or early 17th century using etching, a printmaking technique reliant on acid. To create the image, the artist would have applied a waxy ground to a metal plate, then scratched away lines to expose the metal. After immersion in acid, these lines would be bitten into the plate. The more time in the acid bath, the deeper the lines become, therefore, they would hold more ink and print darker. The matrix is carefully wiped, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Paper is then laid on the plate, and run through a press under great pressure. The lines of Hondius' print are crisp and precise, attesting to his mastery of the medium. Note how the etched lines give volume to the ornament. The text inside the cartouche is a reminder that even in the age of mechanical reproduction, the skill of the hand remains paramount. By focusing on the labor involved in its production, we can appreciate this print not just as an image, but as a testament to human ingenuity.