Putti hangend op fruitguirlande 1639 - 1706

This print, showing putti hanging on a garland of fruit, was created by an anonymous artist using etching. Look closely, and you’ll see that the image is made up of many tiny lines. These were produced by drawing through a coating on a metal plate, then exposing it to acid. The acid bites into the metal where the lines have been drawn, creating an image that can then be inked and printed. Etching is an indirect process, requiring considerable skill. It is also relatively quick, however. That’s one reason it was so popular for reproductive prints like this one. Many of these prints were made and sold, and they made art accessible to a wide audience. Ultimately, this print isn’t just about the image of the putti, but about the social and economic context that made its production possible. By understanding the labor and skill involved, we can appreciate the print as more than just a picture, but also as a cultural artifact.