Huilend meisje met kikker op haar bord before 1898

This etching by Jan Mesker, shows a crying girl with a frog on her plate. The printmaking process involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant material, drawing into this coating with a needle, and then bathing the plate in acid. The acid bites away the exposed metal, creating recessed lines that hold ink. Note how the etched lines are not just a means of depicting the image, they are fundamental to its existence. Look closely, and you can see areas where Mesker has used very fine lines to create delicate tones, and denser, cross-hatched lines for the darker areas. The textures of the dress, hair and surrounding foliage, all rely on the etched mark. The result is a printed image with a distinctive visual language, one that reflects the amount of work, the skill, and the careful choreography of materials and processes involved in its making. Understanding this process gives us a deeper appreciation of the final artwork, and a reminder that all images are made from something.