Gezicht op de kermis op de Botermarkt met de Regulierswaag te Amsterdam 1815 - 1875

Antonie Vink Tollenaar’s print shows a fair at the Botermarkt in Amsterdam made with etching, a printmaking technique using metal plates. The image comes to life through a labor-intensive method. The fine lines were created by drawing through a wax coating on a metal plate, which was then submerged in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating grooves that hold ink. The plate is then inked, wiped clean, and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Consider the skilled labor involved in each stage of the etching process, the careful drawing, the precise timing of the acid bath, and the practiced hand required for printing. Etchings like this one were relatively affordable, making images accessible to a broader public during this period. The print not only depicts a public spectacle but also was made through a process that relies on a public to buy and appreciate it. Looking at this print, we see that its meaning emerges not just from the image itself, but also from the materials and processes that brought it into being.