Nele leunt uit het raam wachtend op Tijl Uilenspiegel 1875

Camille Van Camp created this etching, "Nele leunt uit het raam wachtend op Tijl Uilenspiegel," which translates to "Nele leans out the window waiting for Till Eulenspiegel," using an etching technique on a metal plate. The process involves covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. The artist then scratches an image into this ground with a needle, exposing the metal. The plate is immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. The depth of these grooves determines how much ink the plate will hold, and therefore, the darkness of the lines in the final print. Once the ground is removed, ink is applied to the plate, and the surface is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Damp paper is then pressed against the plate, transferring the ink to create the print. The quality of line achieved through etching offers a contrast to the clean precision of engraving, or the immediacy of drawing. It is an intimate process, requiring patience and skill, a testament to the artist's hand and the traditional printmaking process, where value is derived not only from the image but also from the labor involved.