Gezicht op de korenmolen in Wijk bij Duurstede c. 1908

Willem Witsen made this etching of a gristmill at Wijk bij Duurstede, and it's a fascinating example of how a traditional subject can be re-imagined through a printmaking process. Etching involves biting a metal plate with acid, so that it will hold ink and transfer an image to paper. Witsen has used this process to great effect, creating a range of tones, from deep blacks to pale grays. Look closely, and you can see the rich texture created by the etching. But it's not just the textures within the image that are interesting; the image itself is of a mill, a mechanism crucial to the economy in the region. A site of production that transformed grain into flour, it represents the intersection of human labor and natural resources. Considering the artistry of the printmaking and the industry of the milling process invites us to rethink the hierarchy between art and labor, craft and industry.