Hert bij de oever van een ven in het bos 1871

Karl Bodmer made this forest scene with a deer using etching, a printmaking technique that reveals so much about the labor involved. The artist would have started with a metal plate, likely copper, covering it with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Using a sharp needle, he scratched away the ground to expose the metal, meticulously drawing the dense forest and the delicate figure of the deer. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves. After removing the ground, ink was applied to the plate, filling the etched lines. The surface was wiped clean, and the image transferred to paper under high pressure. Look closely, and you can see the incredible detail achieved through this process – the textures of the leaves, the flow of the water, and the soft fur of the deer. Each line represents a deliberate mark, a testament to the artist's skill and the time invested. Etching, unlike a quick sketch, demands precision and patience. It's a reminder of the value of skilled handwork, a counterpoint to our age of mass production.