Wandelaar bij grote boom 1778 - 1838

Anthonie van den Bos made this tiny etching of a wanderer beneath a large tree sometime before 1838. An etching is made by drawing into a wax ground on a metal plate, and then bathing the plate in acid, which bites away the exposed lines. The resulting incised image can then be inked and printed. The medium is not unlike drawing, but its appeal has always been its reproducibility. The copperplate, in effect, performs the same function as a digital file today. While the scene itself is quaint, almost generic, the etching medium connects it to a larger history of printmaking, and its relationship to both artistic practice and wider social issues of labor, politics and consumption. The image could be endlessly reproduced, and sold at an affordable price. So, while a unique painting might appeal to the wealthy, prints democratized access to imagery. It’s important to remember that the materials and processes involved in making a work of art play a crucial role in shaping its meaning and significance.