Draperie met opdracht aan Antonio Barberini after 1655

Giovanni Battista Falda made this print, "Draperie met opdracht aan Antonio Barberini," around the 1670s, using etching. Look closely, and you'll see how the etched lines build up the image from simple marks. This was not a spontaneous gesture, but a practiced technique that allowed Falda to create this tribute to a wealthy patron, Antonio Barberini. The act of etching itself – applying acid to a metal plate – involved specialized knowledge and careful labor. But the real work here is the patient accumulation of tiny lines, which give the print its sense of volume and texture. The drapery, the figures, and the architecture are all rendered through this meticulous process. Prints like this one existed in a commercial world. They were made to be sold, collected, and displayed. Recognizing the skill and labor that went into its production, we are compelled to consider the role of craftsmanship, and its relation to the patronage system of the time.