Begrafenisstoet van aartshertog Albrecht (plaat XLV), 1622 1623

This print, made in 1622 by Cornelis Galle I, commemorates the funeral procession of Archduke Albrecht. It's an etching, meaning the artist coated a metal plate with wax, scratched the image into the wax, and then bathed the plate in acid. The acid bit into the exposed metal, leaving behind incised lines that could then be inked and printed. Notice the incredible detail Galle achieved with this relatively simple process. He wasn't just creating an image; he was documenting a specific historical event, and the etching medium allowed him to capture a sense of precision and realism. Think about the labor involved. Galle had to be a skilled draughtsman, a careful etcher, and a meticulous printer. This wasn't just about artistic inspiration; it was about technical expertise and painstaking work. The print medium also allowed for the wide distribution of images, making it a crucial tool for spreading information and shaping public opinion in the early modern period. So, in appreciating this image, we should consider the social and political context of its making, and its circulation.