Twee mensen getroffen door onweer 1785

This is “Two People Struck by Lightning,” an etching made by Noach van der Meer II, probably not long before 1800. The image is created by incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. The dense weave of tiny lines creates tonal variation, defining the stormy sky, the fallen figure on the ground, and the other man, who seems to be cursing the heavens. Etching was a key technology for the dispersal of images. It allowed for relatively quick reproduction, making art accessible to a wider public, beyond unique paintings or sculptures commissioned by the wealthy. However, the amount of labor invested in each plate was considerable. In Van der Meer’s image, that intensive labor underscores the drama of the scene, and also the social context of a time when many felt at the mercy of both natural forces and political upheavals. The raw edges of the paper further emphasize its materiality, a reminder of the human effort involved in its making.