Twee gestorven krijgers met haarband 1759

Around 1750, Christian Bernhard Rode created these images of two dead warriors, likely on paper using an etching technique. The effect here hinges on the physical properties of metal, acid, and ink. Rode would have coated a metal plate with wax, then scratched his design through it with a fine needle. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. Finally, ink was applied, then wiped from the surface, remaining only in the etched lines. The plate and paper were then pressed together. This was, in essence, an industrial process – a way of generating images in multiples. In this way, printmaking democratized art. Instead of singular paintings available only to the wealthy, etchings like this could reach a wider audience. The linear quality of the etching, while quite different from painting, allowed Rode to economically communicate a full range of emotions, from agony to peace.