Jan Poortenaar verwijdert overtollige inkt van een etsplaat c. 1930 - 1950

This photograph captures Jan Poortenaar meticulously removing excess ink from an etching plate. The action itself—hands carefully wiping a surface—resonates deeply within our shared cultural memory. Consider the countless depictions of cleansing rituals throughout history, from religious ablutions to the careful preparation of sacred objects. The hands, the cloth, the focused gaze—all speak to a universal act of purification and preparation. The removal of the superfluous to reveal the essential is a visual echo of alchemical processes. The image evokes a sense of ritual, a deliberate and careful act that transcends mere practicality, engaging viewers on a subconscious level through the quiet intensity of focused effort. This echoes the timeless human desire to refine, perfect, and uncover the hidden potential within a medium, a practice that resurfaces and evolves across diverse eras and contexts.