Maria Aresin

Etching, the origins of which as an intaglio technique can be traced back to the beginning of the 16th century, unfolded its full glory in the 17th century. Famous engravers such as Albrecht Dürer had rejected etching as an inferior technique to copperplate engraving, but a century later it experienced its Baroque heyday. The etching technique owes its albeit late success to the freedom of its lines. Unlike the laborious method of copperplate engraving, the artist’s hand can playfully transpose the drawing onto the etching plate with ease. This catalogue provides fascinating insights into the working processes and aesthetics of Baroque printmaking. The focus is on works by three artists who excelled in the etching technique: Jacques Callot, Stefano della Bella and Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione. Exhibition: 8. September to 3. December 2023, Landesmuseum Mainz New state of research on Baroque etching Look inside

English summary: The myth of the ages of man is one of the first historical models for a periodization of time. Known since antiquity it gained relevance again in the early modern period, when it was first adopted by artists in Italy. Early modern and especially Christian time models are compared in this study to those of the myth as represented in the paintings, drawings, prints and frescoes discussed. German description: Der Mythos der Weltzeitalter gilt als eines der ersten historischen Periodisierungsmodelle. Wahrend der Renaissance wurde dieses Modell aufgrund seiner politischen und historiografischen Relevanz erneut rezipiert und damit zum Gegenstand kunstlerischer Auseinandersetzung. In funf Kapiteln untersucht die Autorin politische, historiografische und kunstlerische Faktoren, die das Aufkommen von Darstellungen der vier Weltzeitalter begunstigten. Die Auseinandersetzungen mit den bildlichen Umsetzungen des Mythos wird begleitet von einer Analyse der zeitgleich bestehenden Geschichtsmodelle. Im Zentrum der Arbeit stehen Hauptwerke der Kunst der Fruhen Neuzeit, aber auch Werke des 17. bis 19. Jahrhunderts, etwa von Charles Le Brun und Thomas Cole.