Een roos en vergeet-mij-nietjes 1850

Elisabeth Johanna Koning created this print, Een roos en vergeet-mij-nietjes, using etching, a process with a long history in both art and industry. The acid-biting process of etching allows for incredibly fine detail, as you can see here in the delicate rendering of the rose petals and thorns. Etching involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratching away the ground to expose the metal. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed areas are eaten away, creating lines that will hold ink. The result has an intimate, hand-drawn quality. The artist's direct engagement with the plate is evident in every line, reminding us of the labor involved in its creation. Though it may seem at first glance a simple botanical study, consider how the print carries the social weight of artistic training and practice, and how it democratizes artistic knowledge by allowing for multiples. It blurs the lines between craft, design, and fine art.