Hoofd van de H. Maria 1658 - 1677

Wallerant Vaillant created this Head of the Virgin Mary using mezzotint, a printmaking technique that allows for rich tonal gradations. Think of the copper plate as a field of potential. First, the plate is systematically roughened with a tool called a rocker, creating thousands of tiny burrs that would hold ink. Vaillant then burnished and scraped areas to flatten them, creating lighter tones by reducing the ink they would hold. This labor-intensive process effectively reverses traditional engraving, where the artist cuts lines to hold ink. Here, the artist works from dark to light, manipulating the surface to reveal the image. Mezzotint was prized for its ability to reproduce paintings, making art more accessible. Consider the skill and time invested in this image, and how it democratized access to religious iconography during Vaillant's time.