Volgeladen wagen met bovenop moeder met kind c. 1852

Polynice Auguste Viette created this print, "Volgeladen wagen met bovenop moeder met kind," using etching, a technique known for its fine detail and capacity to capture texture. The process begins with a metal plate covered in a waxy ground. The artist scratches away at this coating, then bathes the plate in acid, which bites into the exposed metal, creating lines. Ink fills these lines, and when pressed onto paper, it produces the image. Viette has used the etching to great effect. Notice how the intricate network of lines creates a sense of depth and three-dimensionality, almost making the scene jump off the page. It vividly depicts the heavy burden of everyday life, the labor of pulling the overloaded wagon, and the mother and child perched precariously on top. This artwork, made through a process of careful labor, reminds us of the physical labor depicted within the image itself. It collapses the divide between the making and the made.