The Smoker 

Cornelis Bega's "The Smoker" is an etching, a printmaking process that uses acid to corrode the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design. Bega would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratched an image into it with a needle. The plate was then bathed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. The longer the plate remained in the acid, the deeper the lines, and the darker they would appear when printed. This would be a practiced skill, requiring a deft hand and careful management of the materials. The dense web of cross-hatched lines, particularly visible in the deep shadows, creates a tonal range, giving the image depth and volume. The material reality of this print – the acid, the metal, the ink – is integral to its aesthetic. It's a reminder that art isn't just about ideas, but also about the labor and materiality that brings those ideas to life.