Vervallen boerderij after 1647

This etching, "Vervallen boerderij," was created by Frederick Bloemaert using a copper plate and acid. Bloemaert has captured a dilapidated farmhouse with incredible detail, using the etching technique to mimic the textures of crumbling brick and decaying wood. The etching process involves covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant layer, then drawing through the wax to expose the metal. When the plate is submerged in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves. The plate is then inked, and the ink is held in these grooves, allowing the image to be printed onto paper. Bloemaert has used a dense network of fine lines to represent the broken surfaces of the building, the exposed roof timbers, and even the plants growing around the ruins. This attention to detail highlights the effects of time and neglect. By focusing on the materiality of decay, Bloemaert elevates the ruined farmhouse into a subject worthy of artistic attention, blurring the lines between the picturesque and the poignant.