Baumgruppe an einem Gewässer 

Franz Kobell made this landscape, Baumgruppe an einem Gewässer, using etching, a printmaking technique, sometime between 1764 and 1822. With etching, a metal plate is coated with a waxy ground, and the artist draws through this ground with a needle to expose the metal. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. The plate is inked, the surface wiped clean, and then it is pressed onto paper. We can see the mark that is created in the process around the edges. The final image is a result of a collaboration between the artist’s hand and the chemical reaction, and that gives it a unique character. Kobell's image shows trees grouped near water. The etching technique allows for fine lines and detailed textures, capturing the ruggedness of the trees and the reflection in the water. Consider that this was a repeatable image, a commodity, made possible by skilled labor. The artist’s hand, the etcher’s skill, and the printer’s touch all contribute to the final result.