Gezicht op een klif op Whitehead Island before 1890

This monochromatic print, "Gezicht op een klif op Whitehead Island", captures a cliff face, and was rendered anonymously. The image is striking in its stark contrast, a result of the printing process. Look closely at the gradations of tone, which were achieved through careful manipulation of light and shadow on the printing plate. The artist would have used tools to etch or scrape the plate, controlling the amount of ink it held, and thus the darkness of the final print. What's fascinating here is how a mechanical process, like printmaking, can still convey a sense of the artist’s hand. The image presents textures and formations of nature in a way that invites a close inspection of the labor and techniques involved in the act of image-making. In the end, understanding the process helps us appreciate the image not just as a representation, but as a physical object with its own story of production.