Bosgezicht 1882 - 1926

Gerrit Haverkamp’s “Bosgezicht” is a print of a forest scene. Its intricate details are achieved through the etching process. Here, a metal plate is coated with a waxy resist, then the artist draws into this surface, exposing the metal. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Ink is applied, filling these grooves, and the surface is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, paper is pressed onto the plate, transferring the image. Look closely, and you’ll see the artist’s hand in the work, each line carefully placed, building up tone and texture to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. Etching allowed Haverkamp to replicate the image, making it more accessible, reflecting the rise of mass production. But each print retains a unique quality due to slight variations in the inking and printing process, a testament to the human touch in a mechanical age. By focusing on the materials and making of this print, we can appreciate not only the artist's skill, but also the broader social and economic forces that shaped its creation.