Portret van een onbekende man 1625 - 1719

This small print, now in the Rijksmuseum, was made by an anonymous artist using etching, a process that’s all about controlled accident. A metal plate is coated with a waxy ground, and then the artist scratches an image into the surface, exposing the metal. Immersed in acid, the drawn lines are bitten, creating grooves. Ink is then forced into these lines, the surface wiped clean, and paper pressed against the plate to lift the image. The result is an image with a handmade feel, created through an indirect process. Look at the hat - it is brought to life by the etched lines that stand proud from the paper's surface. The rough textures and granular tonality of the etching beautifully capture the character's ruggedness and the furrows of his brow. Thinking about the labor involved, from the careful preparation of the plate to the final printing, we recognize the skill and time invested in this detailed portrait. It's a powerful reminder that even in the age of mechanical reproduction, the human touch remains vital.