Vrouw met hond 1823

Carl Cristiaan Fuchs created this tiny etching, “Woman with Dog,” using a sharp needle to scratch lines into a coated metal plate, which was then inked and printed. Look closely, and you’ll see the incredible control Fuchs had over this demanding medium. The image teems with tiny hatch marks, creating a range of tones and textures, from the furry dog to the foliage overhead. The figure is carefully modeled with light and shadow, giving her a quiet dignity. Etching was a common method for reproducing images at this time, a kind of proto-photography. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it was easy. The production of prints like this involved not only Fuchs’s skill, but also the labor of others who prepared the plates and ran the printing presses. When we consider the full process, and the social context of printmaking, it becomes clear that this modest image is more than just a picture, but a testament to the value of skilled work, and the complex relationships between art, labor, and technology.