Rivierlandschap met dorp in de verte Possibly 1744

Christian Ludwig von Hagedorn made this River Landscape with a Village in the Distance using etching techniques. The matrix was a metal plate, likely copper or zinc, which would have been coated with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Hagedorn would have then used a pointed tool to scratch away the ground, exposing the metal. When the plate was dipped in acid, the exposed areas were eaten away, creating recessed lines. This required skill to control the depth and width of the lines, and to avoid over-etching. The ink was then applied, pressed into the etched lines, and the surface wiped clean. Finally, the plate was pressed onto paper, transferring the ink and creating the print you see before you. It is the labor of this skilled intaglio process that gives the scene its atmospheric quality, so different than a drawing. Understanding this making process is essential to fully appreciating the artwork.