Vrouw te paard en valkeniers before 1850

Charles Rochussen created this print, "Woman on Horseback with Falconers," using etching, a process in which lines are incised into a metal plate with acid, then inked and printed. Etching is a technique closely associated with the rise of print culture and mass media. It allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images, making them accessible to a wider audience than unique drawings or paintings. The very nature of the medium suggests an embrace of industrialization, in contrast to the aristocratic subject matter depicted here, women on horseback and falconers, suggesting a scene of leisure. The print's fine lines and delicate shading evoke the textures of fabric, feathers, and fur. The precision of the etched lines allows for the intricate depiction of details, such as the elaborate costumes. By embracing printmaking, Rochussen was able to engage with a broader public, disseminating images of upper-class pastimes in a way that democratized access to them, even as it reinforced existing social hierarchies. So even in a traditional scene like this, we can see the effects of labor, politics, and consumption at play.