Pigen med uglerne 1901

Frans Schwartz made this etching, “The Girl with Owls,” sometime around 1900. The technique involves drawing with a sharp needle through a waxy ground on a metal plate, which is then bathed in acid. This bites the lines into the metal, allowing it to hold ink. Look closely, and you can see the crisp, precise quality of the etched lines. The density of these marks creates areas of light and shadow, defining the figures of the girl and the owls. The tonal range in the print results from the artist’s control over the etching process, along with the length of time it has been steeped in acid, and the pressure used when the print was pulled. Prints like this were relatively inexpensive, and played a crucial role in disseminating images widely. This one, with its enigmatic subject matter and skillful execution, attests to the enduring power of the etched line. It reminds us that what we now call “fine art” is inseparable from techniques of production, distribution, and consumption.