Jonge vrouw en kind op bed 1831 - 1890

This is ‘Young Woman and Child on a Bed,’ an undated print by Jean Baptiste Pierre Michiels, made using etching, a technique where lines are incised into a metal plate, inked, and then printed onto paper. The magic of etching lies in its controlled spontaneity. The artist carefully prepares a metal plate, often copper, with a waxy ground. Using needles, lines are drawn exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. The depth of these grooves determines the darkness of the lines in the final print. The process results in a texture that is unlike drawing or painting: dense in some areas and fading in others. Look closely at the shadow surrounding the bed, and the lines that suggest the fabrics. These are the direct product of Michiels’ technique. The final print, with its delicate balance of light and shadow, invites us to consider the work involved, and to find beauty in the convergence of material, process, and artistic skill.