Meisje leest een boek bij het licht van een vuur 1755 - 1830

Jean-Pierre Norblin de la Gourdaine created this etching of a girl reading by firelight sometime between 1760 and 1830. The printmaking process gives this artwork a unique texture and depth. Etching involves covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance. The artist then scratches an image into this coating, exposing the metal. When the plate is dipped in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves. Ink is applied to the plate, filling these grooves, and then the surface is wiped clean. Finally, paper is pressed against the plate, transferring the ink and creating the print. The stark contrast between the dark lines and the light paper emphasizes the flickering firelight and the girl's focused concentration, which also hints at the social context of the time, when access to education and literacy was becoming more widespread, yet remained a privilege. The printmaking process itself, with its steps of labor and craft, mirrors the effort and dedication required for learning. Norblin’s choice of etching, a process that combines technical skill with artistic expression, elevates this image beyond a mere illustration, inviting us to consider the interplay between craft, knowledge, and social change.