Cow Barn – II 1914

Lovis Corinth made this etching, "Cow Barn – II," using a metal plate, likely copper, and acid. This printmaking process begins with the artist drawing through a waxy ground, then submerging the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves that hold ink. The quality of the line is crucial here; notice how varied it is, from thin and delicate to thick and assertive. This range is achieved through careful control of the etching process. The artist likely used different tools to incise the plate and varied the time the plate spent in the acid bath. But beyond technique, the subject matter itself – a humble cow barn – speaks to the work involved in dairy farming. Corinth elevates this everyday scene through skilled printmaking. He prompts us to appreciate the labor behind our food and the beauty in the mundane, blurring the lines between high art and the realities of rural life.