A Woman Standing by a Seated Man 1616 - 1677

Thomas Wijck made this etching, "A Woman Standing by a Seated Man," sometime in the 17th century. Etching is an indirect intaglio printmaking technique, meaning that the lines that you see on the paper have been bitten into a metal plate with acid. The plate is covered with a waxy ground, and then the artist scratches away the ground where they want lines to appear. When the plate is dipped in acid, the exposed metal is etched, creating recessed lines. Ink is then applied to the plate, and the surface is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the ink and creating the print. The fine lines and subtle gradations of tone give the image a sense of depth and atmosphere. The controlled, repeatable nature of the process allowed for wider dissemination of images, catering to a growing art market. Look closely, and you can see the immense labor involved in creating the scene depicted. Wijck's choice of etching reflects a shift towards more commercial and reproducible art forms.