Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1831 - 1890

This portrait of an unknown woman was made by Jean Baptiste Pierre Michiels, using a technique called etching. The image’s delicate lines are the result of an elaborate, multi-stage process. First, the artist applied a wax coating to a metal plate. Using a sharp needle, he scratched away the wax, exposing the metal beneath. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. The longer the acid bath, the deeper the lines became, creating a range of tonal values. Notice how the etched lines define the woman's features, creating a sense of depth and texture. This subtractive process stands in stark contrast to drawing directly on paper. It’s a printmaking method dependent on industrial-era chemistry and the division of labor. Etchings like this remind us that even seemingly straightforward portraits are the result of skilled processes, blurring the lines between art, craft, and technology.