Vrouw op ezel in landschap 1833

Leendert de Koningh made this print, "Woman on a Donkey in a Landscape," sometime in the late 18th to mid-19th century using etching and engraving. The print depicts a woman riding a donkey, presumably on her way to the market. It’s fascinating to consider how the printmaking processes – etching and engraving – would have influenced the image's creation. Etching involves using acid to cut into a metal plate, while engraving uses a tool called a burin to directly incise the design. The combination of these techniques allowed de Koningh to create subtle tonal variations and fine details. Look closely, and you can see the texture of the donkey’s fur, the folds in the woman’s clothing, and the distant landscape. All required careful labor. The image seems to celebrate the ordinary, yet the print itself is the product of skilled artistry and labor, speaking to broader themes of production and value in society. By focusing on these elements, we can appreciate how the print blurs the line between everyday life and high art.