Jonge vrouw zittend bij een graf 1884

This intaglio print by H. Berthier shows a young woman sitting by a grave. The artist used etching and drypoint, processes that involve incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. The visual weight of the image is created through the density of etched lines, with the drypoint technique adding velvety darks. The image has a sketchy and atmospheric quality. The wall and the cross in the graveyard have a tactile quality, almost like raised lines when touched. The social context of printmaking is crucial here. Prints like this were relatively inexpensive to produce and purchase, making art accessible to a wider audience beyond the elite. They were often reproduced in books and journals, helping to spread Berthier’s work widely. By focusing on the material process, we can appreciate how Berthier democratized art, moving it out of the gallery and into everyday life.