Vignet met een wapen met daarop het silhouet van een leeuw 1836 - 1912

This small vignette, bearing a lion rampant, was created by Isaac Weissenbruch, likely in the late 19th century. It is made using etching, a printmaking technique that relies on the corrosive action of acid to create lines in a metal plate. The material quality of this print is paramount. The velvety blacks and subtle gradations of tone are achieved through careful control of the etching process. Weissenbruch would have coated a copper plate with wax, drawn his design through the wax, and then immersed the plate in acid. The longer the plate remains in the acid, the deeper the lines and the darker they appear in the print. The amount of work that went into the print production is intense. While seemingly modest, this vignette embodies the values of craft and skill. Its power lies not only in its imagery, but in the artistry of its making.