Fontein met Eudore c. 1780

This print, "Fountain with Eudore," was made by Christian Bernhard Rode in the 18th century, using etching techniques. The image is made up of very simple materials – ink on paper – but the labor involved in its creation is substantial. Etching requires coating a metal plate with a waxy ground, drawing through the ground to expose the metal, and then immersing the plate in acid, which bites away at the exposed lines. The plate is then inked and printed. Look closely, and you'll notice the artist's hand in the delicate lines and shading. There’s a real human element to it. Rode was part of a generation that took printmaking very seriously. They saw it not just as a means of reproduction, but as an art form in its own right, allowing for a new kind of intimacy between artist and viewer. This elevates printmaking from a mere trade to a fine art.