Straatfeest met lampionnen in Venetië 1851 - 1902

Carel Nicolaas Storm van 's-Gravesande created this print, ‘Street Festival with Lanterns in Venice,’ by incising lines into a metal plate, likely copper, which was then inked and pressed onto paper. The image's grainy texture comes from the etching process, where acid eats away at the exposed lines, giving the print a depth and tone difficult to achieve through direct engraving. Note how the lanterns' luminosity contrasts with the dark, undefined spaces, an effect achieved through careful control of the etching depth and ink application. The artist’s technique—a somewhat industrialized form of image-making—lends itself well to capturing the energy of a public celebration, hinting at the social dynamics and collective experiences of such events. Although the scene appears to be in Venice, the printmaking technology itself was widely dispersed across Europe. Ultimately, the print's impact lies in the clever use of a reproducible medium to evoke a sense of place and occasion, reminding us that even mass-produced art carries the unique mark of its maker and the culture in which it was created.