Schepen op het water bij het vallen van de avond 1883 - 1913

Georges Montenez created this etching, "Schepen op het water bij het vallen van de avond" – or "Ships on the Water at Nightfall" – using metal, acid, and ink. An etching begins with a metal plate, traditionally copper or zinc. The plate is coated with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, into which the artist draws their design. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal. The longer the plate sits in the acid, the deeper the lines become. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Montenez's image evokes a sense of the sea and the labor of those who depend on it. The mass production of images like these—a distinctly modern phenomenon—brought art to a wider audience, and democratized the consumption of images. Paying attention to these materials and processes allows us to see the connections between art, labor, and the wider world.