Aeddon ontmoet Olwene 1852 - 1902

Karel Frederik Bombled created this etching, Aeddon ontmoet Olwene, sometime in the mid-19th century. It's a delicate print, made using a process that relies on the corrosive action of acid to create lines on a metal plate. The fine lines and subtle tonal variations are achieved by carefully controlling the etching process. Bombled would have applied a waxy ground to the plate, then scratched his design into it with a needle, exposing the metal beneath. When the plate was immersed in acid, the exposed lines would be eaten away, creating grooves that would hold ink. The plate is then inked, wiped, and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. This print has a free, sketchy quality. The artist has used the etching process not to create a polished, refined image, but rather to capture a sense of immediacy and spontaneity. Bombled shows us not just the scene, but the hand of the artist at work.