Aanbidding door de koningen 1838 - 1863

This artwork, "Adoration by the Kings," was made by Frederik Hendrik Weissenbruch using the technique of etching. Etching, as a process, involves the use of acid to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design. This is often done with a needle through a wax ground. This process is a significant departure from traditional modes of painting or sculpture. The lines that define the forms are not built up by hand but are, instead, chemically eaten into the metal. Weissenbruch's artistic practice exists at the intersection of craft and design, a move away from the more established genres of fine art at the time. The final work is a testament to the artist's technical skill and the unique properties of the materials used. The use of etching is also a comment on the shift toward industrial methods of production. The print invites us to reflect on the value and status of different forms of artistic labor, and to consider the wider social context in which such distinctions are made.