Bebudelsen 1899

Frans Schwartz created this small etching, Bebudelsen, which translates to ‘The Annunciation’, sometime during his career. The printmaking process has everything to do with the image’s visual effect. Look closely, and you can see the myriad tiny marks that describe the scene. The artist would have used a sharp needle to draw into a prepared metal plate. This was then inked and pressed against paper, transferring the image. Etching allowed Schwartz to achieve fine detail, as well as dramatic contrasts between light and shadow. The very act of incising the metal plate, and the repetitive movements involved, must have been a kind of devotional exercise in itself. And of course, like all prints, this one could have been made in multiples, allowing for a wider distribution of this iconic religious image. The history of art is filled with such convergences of faith and facture. By attending to the making, we can appreciate the full meaning of the work.