Boerderij tussen geboomte 1886

Elias Stark made this etching, "Farmhouse Among Trees," using a metal plate, likely copper or zinc, and acid. The stark contrasts and fine lines that you see here result from the controlled corrosion of the metal, creating an image capable of being reproduced many times. Think about the labor involved, not just in the drawing and the skilled application of acid-resist, but also in the mining and processing of the metal itself. These industrial processes are often invisible when we look at art, yet they underpin the entire endeavor. Consider the amount of work involved in producing even such a small, seemingly simple image. In Stark’s time, prints like these were a crucial part of the art market, making images accessible to a wide audience, a democratization of art through industrial means. By paying attention to the material and the making of "Farmhouse Among Trees," we appreciate that it's not just a picture, but a product of social and economic forces.