Zittende man met pet op before 1883

This is an etching by the Dutch artist Gerard Jan Bos, likely made in the late 19th or early 20th century. It shows a man with a cap on. Etching is an intaglio printmaking technique, where lines are incised into a metal plate using acid. The plate is covered with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. The artist then scratches an image into the ground with a pointed tool, exposing the metal. The plate is immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. The remaining ground is removed, and the plate is inked. Damp paper is laid on top, and both are run through a press, transferring the ink from the grooves to the paper. Bos has used the etched line to describe the play of light across the subject’s face and clothing, and to capture his world-weary expression. Etching is a relatively accessible medium, and was well-suited to the depiction of working-class subjects. The level of detail suggests a great deal of labor. In understanding the subject and the artistic choices made by Gerard Jan Bos, we appreciate the richness in the relationship between the materials, process, and social context.