Grootmoeder en de wolf 1867

Adolphe François Pannemaker made this illustration, “Grootmoeder en de wolf”, with a technique called wood engraving. This print is made from a block of wood, into which the artist carefully cut an image, using specialized tools called gravers and burins. Because it is a relief process, everything that you see as white was actually cut away; only the black lines stand in reserve, ready to receive ink. Look closely, and you can almost imagine Pannemaker at work, carefully rendering the details of the wolf's fur, the texture of the bedsheets, the grandmother's wrinked face. The image is made of marks, pure and simple, each one the result of a deliberate cut into the wood. The resulting print is a testament to Pannemaker's skill, but it's also a reminder of the labor that goes into creating even the simplest image. By focusing on the process, we can appreciate the artistry and effort that are often hidden behind the finished product.