Vinter i skoven 1866

Vilhelm Kyhn created "Winter in the Woods" using etching, a printmaking process that has a long history but gained new social significance in the 19th century with the rise of industrialization. Kyhn would have coated a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then drawn his composition through this coating, exposing the metal beneath. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves. The deeper the bite, the more ink the line could hold. Finally, the plate was inked, wiped clean, and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. What's fascinating is how this technique, traditionally used for reproducing images, was embraced by artists like Kyhn to create original works, elevating printmaking to a fine art. The incredible detail in the bare trees and winter sky speaks to the artist’s labor, while also being inherently reproducible – a quality linked to democratic ideals and broader distribution of art, aligning with social shifts in Kyhn’s era. This piece reminds us that even seemingly traditional mediums can be infused with new meaning through their engagement with contemporary social and economic forces.