Tranen van boetedoening Possibly 1827

Charles Williams’ “Tears of Repentance” is a hand-colored etching, a process involving meticulous carving into a metal plate, inking, and then printing. Here, the application of color by hand adds another layer of labor to the production. This print shows a group of men gathered around a barrel labeled “Tears of Composition for the Army,” the men crying and despairing. The print’s materiality – the fine lines of the etching, the hand-applied colors – belie its biting social commentary. The figures represent the fallout and guilt related to military actions. The “tears” are for sale, a commodity produced and consumed in the service of war. It invites us to consider how seemingly innocuous materials and processes can be laden with social and political meaning, challenging us to look beyond the surface and consider the labor, context, and implications embedded within the artwork.