Jozua beveelt de zon en de maan stil te staan 1675

Pietro Aquila made this print, Jozua beveelt de zon en de maan stil te staan, around 1650 to 1700. The printmaking process begins with a metal plate, likely copper. Using a tool called a burin, the artist incises lines into the surface. These lines hold ink, which is then transferred to paper under high pressure. Notice the density of lines, which create a sense of depth and shadow. Aquila would have painstakingly etched each one, controlling the pressure and angle of the burin to achieve the desired effect. Consider the labor involved in this type of image-making; it demanded technical skill and physical endurance. The print is both an artwork and a means of reproduction. It could be circulated widely, making images accessible to a broad audience. This speaks to the changing relationship between art, labor, and consumption in early modern Europe. The very act of making prints democratizes the image, challenging traditional notions that classify art as a unique, auratic object.