The Carpenter 1621 - 1675

Allart van Everdingen made this print, The Carpenter, using etching, a printmaking technique that relies on the corrosive power of acid. The image shows two laborers working in a timber-rich landscape, and the etching process has an interesting relationship to that subject. Like carpentry, it depends on careful, forceful action to transform a raw material into a useful product. In etching, a metal plate is coated with a waxy ground, then lines are drawn into the ground with a sharp needle. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed metal. The longer the plate is left in the acid, the deeper the lines will be, allowing for a range of tonal effects. Consider how the artist has used the etched line to evoke the textures of wood and stone, and the labor required to transform these natural materials into shelter. The print offers a glimpse into the life and work of ordinary people. Ultimately, it encourages us to appreciate the skill and effort that goes into both image-making and woodworking, blurring the lines between fine art and craft.