Jan Hanzenpad buiten de Raampoort 1778 - 1838

This etching of Jan Hanzenpad outside the Raampoort was made by Anthonie van den Bos, likely around the turn of the 19th century. It's essentially a black and white print, made by coating a metal plate with wax, drawing through it, and then submerging the plate in acid to bite away the exposed lines. What’s interesting here is the way this intaglio method can suggest a social dynamic. Etching allowed artists to create multiple impressions of the same image, making art more accessible and less exclusive than painting, aligning with the era's changing social structures. The dense network of etched lines gives the image its character, capturing the scene with clarity, its texture and the tonal gradations of the light with skilled precision. Consider how this printmaking process democratized art, and expanded participation in wider culture, challenging the established fine art hierarchy.