Drie figuren aan de maaltijd in een hut bij nacht 1797 - 1811

Reinier Vinkeles made this print, "Three Figures at Mealtime in a Hut at Night," sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. It’s an etching – meaning that the artist would have used a sharp tool to draw through a wax ground on a metal plate. Then, the plate would have been immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. The act of printing involves repetitive, skilled labor. Each impression demands careful inking and pressing. Prints like this were often made in multiples, intended for wide circulation. The etched lines create a scene lit with a very contemporary sensibility of light, shadow, and the human form. What makes the print compelling is that it's so down to earth; it conveys the feeling of everyday existence. It is a wonderful reminder that even seemingly simple images have a complex story to tell, intertwining art, craft, labor, and social context.