Willem Tell. / Guillaume Tell 1842 - 1856

This print, titled *Willem Tell,* was made by P.J. Delhuvenne, using etching with hand-applied color. Etching is an indirect process that involves applying a protective wax layer to a metal plate, scratching an image into the wax, and then bathing the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating incised lines that hold ink. Here, the etched lines define the figures and landscape, while the hand coloring adds depth. The labor-intensive process of etching, followed by the hand-application of color, speaks to the print's original context. Before industrial printing, images like this were painstakingly produced, and consequently, relatively precious. The use of this traditional craft method gives *Willem Tell* a sense of historical weight, connecting it to older forms of storytelling, before the age of mass media. This intricate combination of craft and storytelling reminds us that even seemingly simple images can have a rich and complex material history, challenging our assumptions about art and its relationship to labor.