Mannen aan het werk bij een put 1877

Auguste André Lançon made this etching titled 'Mannen aan het werk bij een put' with ink on paper. As an etching, the image begins with a metal plate, likely copper or zinc, covered in a waxy ground. The artist then scratches into this ground with a needle, exposing the metal underneath. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Ink is applied to the plate, filling these grooves, and the surface is wiped clean. When paper is pressed against the plate, the ink transfers, resulting in a print with characteristic crisp lines and tonal depth. The choice of etching underscores the image’s social context: here we see laborers toiling in what appears to be a mine. The incisive lines feel like they have been inscribed with the same tools that the men use for excavation. The print medium democratized art, making it accessible to a wider audience, thus broadening the social reach of Lançon's work. It reminds us to consider the amount of work involved, both in artistic production and in the strenuous labor depicted.