Abklatsch van een krijttekening before 1817

This transfer of a chalk drawing was made by Balthasar Paul Ommeganck, likely in the late 18th or early 19th century. The process of 'abklatsch' involved dampening the original chalk drawing and pressing it against another sheet of paper, effectively creating a copy. The resulting image has a ghostly quality due to the nature of the transfer, with the chalk particles only partially adhering to the second sheet. This technique was used for reproducing images, but it also has a distinct aesthetic effect. Considering the labor involved, this method falls somewhere between original artwork and mechanical reproduction. It required skill to execute the initial drawing, then care in the transfer process. The 'abklatsch' method highlights the inherent qualities of chalk as a medium – its ability to be easily manipulated, yet also fragile and prone to smudging. This artwork encourages us to consider how techniques of reproduction influence our understanding and appreciation of artistic skill and labor.