Man met hark bij een schuur c. 1780 - 1840

Carel Lodewijk Hansen made this etching of a man with a rake by a shed, using a metal plate and acid to create the design. It’s a classic printmaking process, but let's consider the labor that went into it. First, the engraver would need highly refined metal, skillfully worked to a smooth surface. Then, with precise control, Hansen would have etched lines into the plate. The quality of the marks would be crucial to capturing the texture of the thatched roof, the rough-hewn timber of the shed, and the figure of the man trudging along with his rake. The act of engraving is physically demanding, requiring immense patience and precision. But the subject of the print also speaks to the world of manual labor. Etchings like this were often made for a growing middle class, who perhaps found a certain charm in this vision of rural life. But it's worth remembering that this image is not just a pretty scene, it's also a document of work. And in that sense, the print participates in a long history of representing labor, even as it transforms that labor into art.