Parti ved Hammershus 1869 - 1873

Axel Theodor Kittendorff created this print of Hammershus using etching, a printmaking technique, sometime in the mid-19th century. The image is made using acid to corrode the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in the metal. The plate is inked, and the ink held in these incised lines, then transferred to a sheet of paper by applying pressure. The quality of the lines are what defines this image, their fineness is notable in the depiction of the landscape. Consider how this image was made through a labor-intensive process, yet it would have allowed for easy dissemination. Printmaking like this walks a fine line between industry and craft. It allowed Kittendorff to present a romantic vision of nature, yet it also speaks to a growing market for images that would have been available to a broader audience.