Spotprent met het rooien van bomen met gezichten van ministers, 1868 1867

Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans made this print in 1868 using etching, a printmaking technique that dates back centuries. The basic process involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratching an image into it. Acid is then applied, which bites into the exposed metal, creating recessed lines. These grooves hold ink which is then transferred to paper. Look closely, and you'll see the characteristic crispness of the lines, and the way the ink sits slightly proud of the page. Schmidt Crans was working in a period of great expansion of print media, and the reproductive technologies that made it possible. This allowed political commentary to reach a broad public. The very act of etching, with its roots in craft practice, becomes a medium for social commentary and critique, blurring the boundaries between art, politics, and everyday life.