Interieur van een herberg 1778 - 1838

Anthonie van den Bos created this print, "Interior of an Inn," using etching, sometime around the late 18th to early 19th century. The image is defined by the incised lines that hold the composition together. It shows the social scene of an interior, the details of which would have been rendered by applying acid to a metal plate, allowing the artist to create a pattern of lines, and therefore values, through controlled corrosion. This was a popular, indirect process during the Industrial Revolution, which allowed for relatively easy reproduction. Etching was used for various purposes, from artistic expression to documentary, all responding to a growing market for images. Here, we can see how these small prints played a role in creating a shared visual culture, depicting everyday scenes and social interactions. In a sense, prints like this democratized art, making it accessible to a wider audience. The lines on the plate became a powerful tool for shaping social perceptions and documenting daily life.