Riviergod kijkend naar twee putti 1742

This 18th-century drawing, ‘River God Looking at Two Putti’ by Karel Ykens II, is an etching – a printmaking process where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid, then inked and pressed onto paper. The etched lines are used to create a sense of depth, shadow, and texture, crucial to the image's composition. It is not just about representing an image. The physical act of drawing through acid, and the subsequent printing, imbues the artwork with a specific graphic quality, a tension between precision and the somewhat unpredictable nature of the etching process. The production of prints was integral to the art market. Etchings are relatively reproducible and are made for distribution to collectors, and provide artists income. Understanding the making process allows us to appreciate its place in the broader context of artistic production and consumption.