The Life and Training of Aert van Waes Born in Gouda in 1620, Aert van Waes grew up during the Dutch Golden Age. His early years were shaped by the study of form and line, developing the skills of a draftsman. He did not work in isolation, but rather through the guidance of established hands. He spent his formative time as a student under Wouter Crabeth II, Reinier van Persijn, and David Teniers the Younger. The practice of etching became a specific part of his technical development. He learned this method from Reinier van Persijn, a skill that required a steady hand and a precise understan…