Kanaal met schuiten 1870 - 1931

Willem Bastiaan Tholen created this etching, "Kanaal met schuiten," using a metal plate, acid, and printing press. The etching process allows for the creation of fine, detailed lines, evident here in the depiction of the canal, boats, and surrounding landscape. Tholen would have coated a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratched his design into it. Immersing the plate in acid would bite into the exposed metal, creating grooves. Ink is then applied to the plate, filling these grooves, before being pressed onto paper. The print's linear quality emphasizes the industrialized waterways and working vessels. This etching is a powerful record of the Netherlands' dependence on its canals for trade and transport. The image shows the amount of labor involved in the production process. Understanding the materials, process, and context allows us to fully appreciate Tholen's work. It is a scene of everyday life elevated through skilled handwork.