Vrouw met mantel 1828

Anthonie Willem Hendrik Nolthenius de Man made this print of a woman with a cloak, around 1828. It’s made using etching, an intaglio process, where the artist uses acid to bite lines into a metal plate. The quality of the etched line is very distinctive. Notice how it creates texture, and volume on the figure. The cloak is heavily textured, and edged with fur, and the etched lines give these surfaces a tactile quality. Prints like this were relatively inexpensive and readily available, but this one is more than just a commercial product. By carefully manipulating the etching process, de Man has created a strong sense of atmosphere, and three-dimensionality. It’s a reminder that printmaking, often considered a ‘lesser’ art, can have just as much aesthetic impact as painting or sculpture. Ultimately, it's the dialogue between material, process, and the artist's skilled hand that determines the result.