Bestorming van een Turks fort before 1857

Charles Rochussen made this print, *Bestorming van een Turks fort*, using etching and engraving techniques. Look closely, and you'll notice the dense network of lines that form the image. Rochussen would have used a sharp tool, like a burin, to cut these lines into a metal plate. The depth and density of the lines determine the tones and textures we see. The process of etching involves coating a metal plate with wax, drawing through the wax to expose the metal, and then bathing the plate in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. These printmaking methods, while not as overtly industrial as some, still speak to a larger system of production and distribution. Prints like this one made imagery accessible to a wider audience. The labor of the artist is crucial, but so is the underlying mechanism of reproduction that allows the image to circulate, shaping public perception and opinion. By understanding the material processes and techniques used, we gain insight into the cultural and social context in which it was created.