Rustend jachtgezelschap op een binnenplaats c. 1733 - 1762

Jean Moyreau made this print of a hunting party at rest using etching, a printmaking technique that democratized image production. The artist covers a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then draws through it with a needle to expose the metal. When the plate is bathed in acid, the lines are bitten into the surface. The longer it sits in the bath, the deeper the lines, meaning more ink will be held there, creating darker areas in the printed image. Because the lines are created by acid, the artist can create a much more intricate design than with a technique like engraving, where the lines are incised by hand. The matrix can be re-inked and printed many times, allowing the image to circulate widely. Etching played a key role in the development of mass media, offering a way to reproduce imagery, binding visual culture to wider issues of labor, politics, and consumption. In this particular print, it offers an intriguing glimpse into the leisure activities of the wealthy.