De to huse og frugttræet 1880

Carl Bloch created this print, ‘De to huse og frugttræet,’ using etching, a process deeply rooted in the history of craft. The image emerges from an act of labor, where the artist carefully manipulates a metal plate to capture the intimate scene before us. The fine lines, the delicate shading – all are consequences of the etching process. Bloch would have coated a metal plate with a waxy ground, then drawn his composition through it with a needle. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. This process allows for an extraordinary level of detail. Prints such as these played a key role in disseminating images, making them accessible to a wider audience in an era before mass media. In this way, ‘De to huse og frugttræet’ connects with wider social issues of labor, consumption, and the democratizing force of printmaking. Appreciating the amount of skilled work involved invites us to reflect on the significance of the artwork.