Oude vrouw bij een raam 1867 - 1874

Jan Mesker made this print, Oude vrouw bij een raam, using etching, a process central to the graphic arts. This painstaking technique involves using acid to bite lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. The matrix, in this case the plate, is of paramount importance, as the artist painstakingly prepared it to obtain this final image. Think about the labor-intensive work involved in preparing the plate with an acid-resistant ground, drawing into it with a needle, and then immersing it in acid. Mesker would have controlled the depth of the lines by carefully timing the acid bath, allowing for the creation of nuanced tonal variations in the print. He captured the intimate moment of an elderly woman seated by a window, her hands clasped over a book. The textures of her clothing and the delicate lace of the curtain are rendered with incredible detail, a testament to Mesker's skill. Considering these techniques and the amount of work involved, we can start to appreciate prints not just as reproducible images, but also as unique, highly crafted objects.