History of World Art II: Day 50

During the 17th century in Northern Europe artists begin to embrace etching as an easy and more affordable way to create artwork - many artists used printmaking to finance their creative efforts, as it was a great way to mass produce artwork that could easily be sold to at an affordable price to the general public. It continued to be the main way for the masses to enjoy and experience art. Northern Europe still was still predominantly Protestant and during the Reformation printmaking was embraced to disseminate information cheaply and widely and they used it for the artistic creation of imagery and symbolism. This was preferred to spending money on more elaborate works of art - since that kind of spending was part of their critique against the Catholic church.

The line work of Durer's engravings as well as his and Hans Baldung Grien's woodcuts were studied allowing artist to get a great deal of depth and detail into the scenes they were portraying. The technique of deepening the lines into plates of copper with acid meant that etchings would last longer then engravings or drypoint allowing for larger editions of prints. Rembrandt was a master at etching and used the process to work out expressions and compositions that he would later use in his paintings. Although his etchings in themselves are masterpieces with his use of light and shadow, texture, and fine line work as seen in Christ with the Sick Around Him, Receiving the Children (Hundred-Guilder Print), 1649. It is an etching and drypoint (drypoint is done by engraving the lines into metal without etching - usually used in conjunction with etching and done after the plate is etched as a way to create more subtlety of line).