Vrouw strijkt een shirt op tafel 1893

Armand Rassenfosse made this print, 'Vrouw strijkt een shirt op tafel', using etching, a process that is connected to mass media and the printing industry. The incised lines of the print are a direct result of the artist's technique. Rassenfosse would have coated a metal plate with wax, drawn his image into the wax to expose the metal, and then bathed the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating the recesses that hold the ink. This is a relatively democratic medium. While etching has historically been used to reproduce paintings, here Rassenfosse uses it to depict a scene of domestic labor. The woman ironing is rendered with great care, emphasizing the dignity of her work. The way that Rassenfosse has elevated this scene, using the materials and processes of printmaking, challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft. It asks us to consider the value of labor, and the ways in which art can be used to celebrate the everyday.