Cow, Bull and Calf 

Karel Dujardin created this etching, "Cow, Bull and Calf," using metal plates and acid. Look closely and you'll see how the etched lines define the forms of the animals, giving them shape and texture. The process involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, and then scratching lines into it with a needle. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed metal, creating grooves. Ink is applied to the plate, filling these grooves, and then the surface is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the image is transferred onto paper through a printing press. The final print displays a range of values and tonal variations, creating depth and atmosphere. Dujardin’s choice of etching allowed him to create multiple copies of his composition. This reproductive capacity aligns with the increasing commercialization of art in the Dutch Golden Age, and speaks to the role of images in circulating ideas about rural life and agricultural prosperity.