Twee figuren bij het water in het bos 1792

This landscape, "Twee figuren bij het water in het bos" ("Two figures by the water in the forest"), was made by Adrianus Serné using the graphic art technique of etching. The matrix is a metal plate, likely copper or zinc, with an acid-resistant coating. The artist would have drawn through this coating with a sharp needle, exposing the bare metal, which was then immersed in acid. This biting process creates incised lines, holding the ink for printing. The final image results from the repetitive, skilled work involved in the drawing, and also the physical effects of the acid on the metal. It is a chemical procedure as much as a manual one. In its original context, this print would have been relatively accessible, reproduced in multiples and disseminated widely. Its artistic value lies not only in the composition, but also in Serné’s mastery of a reproductive technique, one that democratized the distribution of images, and continues to blur the line between art, craft, and industry.