Portret van Lucas Hermanus Eberson 1876 - 1891

Henri Wouters made this portrait of Lucas Hermanus Eberson as an etching on paper. Etching is a printmaking technique that relies on acid to bite into a metal plate, creating recessed lines that hold ink. The artist covers the plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratches an image into the ground with a needle, exposing the metal underneath. When the plate is submerged in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Pressed against paper, it produces a reversed image of the original design. The fine lines and delicate shading in this portrait reveal the artist’s skill in controlling the etching process. Wouters clearly understood the material properties of the metal plate, the biting action of the acid, and the printing process itself. Paying attention to the making of an image like this reminds us that even seemingly straightforward works of art are deeply entwined with labor, process, and skilled tradition. This challenges any simple distinction between “high art” and craft.