Schapen en een geit in een weiland 1790

Gerard van Nijmegen made this etching, "Sheep and a Goat in a Meadow," using an etching technique. The etching process involves covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance called a ground. The artist then scratches an image into the ground, exposing the metal beneath. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed lines are bitten, creating grooves. Ink is then applied to the plate, filling these grooves. Finally, the surface is wiped clean, and the image is transferred to paper under pressure. The linear quality of the work emphasizes the inherent qualities of the etching process. Van Nijmegen masterfully renders the texture of wool and foliage through dense networks of fine lines. The social and cultural significance is in its depiction of rural life and the agrarian landscape, which reflect themes of labor and class. By emphasizing the skilled processes involved in etching, this work challenges our understanding of craft within fine art.