true sided | reversed. Counterproofs as technical, aesthetic, and economic strategy in intaglio printing

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Magdalena Bushart
• Subject Area: Art History
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 461596015

After 1500, the establishment of the techniques of intaglio printing (copperplate engraving and etching) was accompanied by a series of innovations that expanded the creative means or could be used as an auxiliary technique in the production process. Counterproofs combine both perspectives. They initially responded to the problem of inversion of the image motif, but also opened up opportunities for creative variations and experiments. This project is dedicated to both aspects, and investigates the applications of this technique which has received little attention in art historical research, focussing on the Netherlands from the mid-16th to the beginning of the 18th century. The analysis of function and effect of counterproofs promises not only insights into the process of printmaking, but also into the tension between reproduction and uniqueness, the role of technical and creative experiments, and the interactions between the interests of collectors and artists or between creative strategies and market mechanisms.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants