Apollo omlijst door dierenriem 1704

Giovanni Girolamo Frezza created this print, Apollo omlijst door dierenriem, using etching and engraving techniques. As you can see, the image is made up of very fine lines incised into a metal plate. The quality of these lines determines everything - the mood, the texture, the tonal range. To achieve this, the artist would have spent hours, possibly days, working on the plate. First, they would have coated it with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Then, using a sharp needle, they would have drawn the design, exposing the metal beneath. Immersing the plate in acid, the drawn lines are then bitten into the metal. This process could be repeated several times to achieve different depths of line. Finally, ink is applied to the plate and then wiped off, remaining only in the etched lines. The print is then made by pressing paper against the plate. It's a highly skilled, labor-intensive process, and the success of the final print depends entirely on the hand of the artist.