Abklatsch van een krijttekening 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve made this chalk drawing at an unknown date, and it is now kept at the Rijksmuseum. But this isn’t the original, it’s an ‘Abklatsch’ – a copy transferred from the original chalk drawing. The process of creating an Abklatsch involves dampening another sheet of paper and pressing it onto a chalk drawing. The dampness helps to lift the chalk particles from the original, transferring them to the new sheet, producing a mirror image of the initial drawing. This technique, requiring minimal materials – chalk, paper, and water – speaks to the accessibility of art-making. The result is an image of ethereal quality, with soft, diffused lines characteristic of chalk but with a faded appearance due to the transfer process. This reproductive method was used to create copies of an artwork. This was a way for artists like Mauve to share their drawings, or to use the Abklatsch as a reference for future artworks. Thinking about materials, making, and context allows us to understand the history and cultural significance of this artwork, while blurring lines between art and craft.