Dode haas 1778 - 1830

This image of a dead hare was made by Johan Jakob Biedermann using etching, a printmaking technique that brings together the skilled hand and chemistry. Biedermann would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, and then scratched an image into it with a pointed needle. Acid would then be applied, biting into the exposed metal to create lines. By carefully controlling the depth of these lines through timed acid baths, Biedermann achieved a remarkable tonal range, capturing the soft texture of the hare’s fur and the grain of the wood on which it’s hung. Prints like this were very popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, because they could be reproduced many times over, and were collected into books and albums. But like any object, their value rested on the skill and labor involved in their production. Each print is an imprint of technical expertise – and also a stark reminder of the relationship between humans, animals, and the natural world.