Portret van een onbekende oude vrouw 1744 - 1780

This is an etching by Simon Klapmuts, and depicts an unknown old woman. The fine lines you see were not drawn directly, but rather bitten into a metal plate by acid. The etcher coats the plate in a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then draws through the ground with a needle. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed metal is etched, creating recessed lines. These grooves hold ink, which is then transferred to paper under great pressure, resulting in a print with a velvety texture. Consider the labor involved. From preparing the plate, to the skilled work of drawing with the etching needle, to the physical exertion of printing. This process democratized image-making by allowing for reproductions, yet it still required specialized skills and equipment. So, while etching opened doors, it also maintained a hierarchy of expertise, blurring the lines between craft and art. Ultimately, understanding the means of production helps us appreciate the work's social and cultural context.