Wapens van Michiel de Ruyter, Piet Hein en Jan Pietersz. Coen. c. 1900 - 1930

This metal plate, etched by G. Acronius, features the coats of arms of Michiel de Ruyter, Piet Hein, and Jan Pietersz. Coen. The use of etching, a process that literally bites into the metal, reminds me of artmaking as a persistent, transformative act. Look closely, and you'll see how the etched lines create a silvery texture, almost like a ghostly memory on the surface. The plate itself is tarnished, adding layers of time and history to the piece. The careful lines of the crests contrast with the unpredictable stains, creating a tension between intention and chance. I'm particularly drawn to the top crest, where the details are so fine that the figures seem to emerge from a mist. Thinking about other artists who embraced process, I'm reminded of Cy Twombly, whose scribbled marks also aimed for the sense of a moment made visible, a history inscribed. Like Twombly's work, this plate invites us to contemplate the interplay between control and accident, permanence and decay, inviting us to think of art as an ongoing conversation across time.