Drankgelag in een zeventiende-eeuwse kroeg 1855

Léopold Flameng created this etching, "Drankgelag in een zeventiende-eeuwse kroeg," using a metal plate and strong acids. The artist would have coated the plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratched an image into it with a needle. It’s fascinating how the labor of the etching process parallels the scene depicted: figures engrossed in the laborious activity of drinking, and making merry in a 17th-century tavern. The cross-hatching and fine lines, achieved through careful scratching and biting, give depth and texture to the revelers' clothing and the tavern’s rough interior. The choice of etching invites scrutiny of detail, asking us to consider the circumstances of the working class depicted. Flameng's skilled use of acids to "bite" the lines into the plate results in an image that has its own kind of substance and weight, despite being on paper. By focusing on the materials and labor involved, we see this print not just as a picture, but as a document of its time, reflecting the social dynamics of labor, leisure, and class.