Boerenwoning aan de waterkant 1704 - 1764

Jan Lauwryn Krafft created this print, "Boerenwoning aan de waterkant," using etching, a process reliant on the controlled erosion of metal. A plate, likely copper, was coated with wax, then scratched with a needle to expose the metal. When immersed in acid, the drawn lines were bitten into the plate, which was then inked and printed. This technique mirrors the scene depicted: a humble dwelling on the edge of water. The etched lines, precise yet yielding, create a world of texture and tone, from the thatched roof to the rough-hewn timbers of the house. The density of the lines suggests the atmosphere, a kind of smoky haze. Etching, though more indirect than drawing, offered Krafft a means of mass production. Prints like these were commercial products, bought and sold in the marketplace. By understanding the printmaking process, we see beyond the image itself, and consider the social and economic context in which it was made and circulated.