Jonge vrouw zit aan het raam 1825 - 1869

Henri Leys created this etching, "Young Woman Sitting by the Window," using a metal plate and acid. The image is built up through tiny, precise lines. Notice how Leys uses this technique to create a sense of depth and texture, from the soft fabric of the woman's dress to the rough wood of the window frame. The etched lines vary in density to create light and shadow, a demanding and meticulous task. Etching was a key technology for the distribution of images in the 19th century, part of a wider culture of reproduction driven by industrialization. Artists like Leys could reach a broad audience, but it also meant that their work was part of a market, subject to the forces of supply and demand. In contrast to painting, printmaking involves collaboration: the artist, the printer, the publisher, and the dealer. Considering the labor and the networks of exchange involved in its production helps us appreciate this seemingly simple image in a new light.