Ontmoeting in het bos 1799 - 1874

Hendrik Jozef Franciscus van der Poorten created this print, "Ontmoeting in het bos," using etching techniques. Look closely, and you'll see the artist has scratched lines into a metal plate, which would then have been submerged in acid, allowing the drawing to be bitten into the surface. Ink is applied to the plate, then wiped clean, remaining only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. This printmaking process allowed for the relatively quick reproduction of images. Consider how the incisive quality of the etched line lends itself to depicting this wooded scene with riders on horseback. In its time, it would have been a relatively democratic medium, allowing images to circulate widely, but still requiring considerable skill and labor to produce. The relatively small scale invites close inspection. Through the lens of its making, we can appreciate how printmaking democratized image production, bridging the gap between traditional artistic skill and the emerging possibilities of reproduction.