Fool with a Girl Looking Through Her Fingers 1610 - 1620

Werner van den Valckert made this engraving, "Fool with a Girl Looking Through Her Fingers," around the early 17th century. It’s a print, so the image wasn’t drawn directly on the page. Instead, it was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, using a tool called a burin. The process of engraving demands meticulous labor. The artist carefully carves lines into the metal, which then hold ink. When paper is pressed against the plate, the image transfers. Look closely, and you’ll see the dense network of lines that create the composition. The varying thickness and proximity of these lines give form and volume to the figures, creating tonal depth. Prints like these were relatively inexpensive and easily reproduced, circulating widely in society. This particular image shows a well-dressed young woman shielding her eyes from the viewer, embraced by a grinning fool. It likely served as a moralizing commentary on social roles and behaviors, accessible to a broad audience thanks to the nature of printmaking. By understanding the material and the making, we realize how this work bridged the gap between artistic expression and social commentary.