Gezicht op het stadhuis van Alkmaar 1736 - 1746

Leonard Schenk created this view of Alkmaar's city hall using etching, a printmaking process that democratized image production. The fine lines and tonal variations you see result from drawing through a wax-covered metal plate, which is then bathed in acid. The acid bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves that hold ink. This plate is then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Consider the labor involved. Schenk, an accomplished printmaker, had to possess the skill to create a design that would capture the likeness of the building and the people around it in this technique. His work also played into the market of images that were widely available and relatively inexpensive. The print also captures a specific moment in Alkmaar’s history, reflecting its architecture and social life, while making that moment reproducible. Thinking about prints like this one reminds us that art is so often intertwined with craft, commerce, and the social life of its time.