Koe naar rechts gewend 1739 - 1804

This etching of a cow was created by Johann Andreas Benjamin Nothnagel sometime in the 18th century. The printmaking process is crucial to understanding this image. The artist would have used a sharp needle to draw the cow into a wax-coated metal plate. This plate would then be submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Ink is applied to the plate and then wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The resulting print has a distinctive character. The etched lines vary in thickness and depth, creating a sense of texture and volume. The process invites a certain roughness, a contrast to the smooth surfaces and polished techniques often associated with fine art. Nothnagel's choice of subject matter – a simple cow – further blurs the lines between art and everyday life. Prints like this made art accessible, circulating images and ideas widely in a way that paintings and sculptures never could.