Overrompeling van Woerden, 1813 1813 - 1814

This print, made by Reinier Vinkeles around 1813, uses the traditional technique of etching to depict the Overrompeling van Woerden, or the storming of Woerden. The materiality of the etching process is key to understanding this work. Vinkeles would have used a sharp needle to draw through a waxy ground on a copper plate. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. This created grooves that would hold ink, which was then transferred to paper under high pressure. The resulting image is characterized by fine, precise lines and a monochrome palette. The crispness of the lines allows for a high level of detail, which Vinkeles uses to depict the chaos and drama of the scene, from the soldiers firing their muskets to the civilians fleeing in boats. Consider how the material process, and the amount of work involved, inflect the meaning of the artwork. Vinkeles uses a craft-based medium to depict a moment of political upheaval. In doing so, he elevates the status of printmaking, a medium often considered to be lesser than painting or sculpture, to the level of historical documentation.