Illustration til O. Specter, "Fabler for Børn" 1838

This small illustration for "Fabler for Børn," was made by Vilhelm Kyhn. It’s an etching, a printmaking technique with a long history. Here, a metal plate, likely copper, was coated with a waxy ground, and the artist scratched his design into it. Acid then bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves that would hold ink. The plate was then inked, wiped clean, and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The fineness of the lines and their incredible detail showcase Kyhn’s mastery of the etching process. You can see the texture he created by varying the density and direction of the lines, particularly in the depiction of light and shadow within the humble interior. It's worth considering the social context of printmaking, as it made images like this widely accessible. The illustration captures a moment of everyday life.