Vechtende kaartspelers 1653 - 1941

Adriaen van Ostade made this print of fighting card players using etching, sometime during the 17th century. The physical labor that is required to make it might seem modest compared to painting. Yet etching is anything but a simple procedure. The artist would have applied a wax coating to a metal plate, and then used a sharp needle-like tool to scratch away the wax, exposing the metal underneath. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. This painstaking process gave van Ostade a lot of control over the fineness of the lines. The result is an image of chaotic conflict among men of the working class. They enact their violence using simple means, like knives and bare hands. Through the surprisingly complex technology of printmaking, we see a scene of direct, unmediated, physical struggle. It's a compelling reminder that all images, however spontaneous they may seem, are made through the application of human skill.