Landschap met kalkoen after 1659

This small landscape with a turkey was made anonymously, using etching techniques to create fine lines on a metal plate, likely copper. The artist would have applied a waxy, acid-resistant ground, drawn into it with a sharp needle, and then bathed the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating recessed lines that hold ink. Note how the varying density of the etched lines defines the turkey’s form, creating texture and shadow. The background landscape is rendered with more delicate strokes, suggesting depth and atmosphere. The printmaking process itself involves labor, from preparing the plate to inking and pressing. Each print is an original, yet the process also allows for reproduction and wider circulation. This puts the image into a different context, as opposed to painting or sculpture. Considering the material, making, and context expands our understanding, as the image straddles the fine line between craft and fine art.