Landscape with Trees 1896

David Young Cameron made this print using etching, a process where lines are bitten into a metal plate with acid. The ink settles into these grooves, and when printed, it creates the image. See how Cameron's varying pressure and the acid's unpredictable nature give the landscape a sense of depth and texture? The hazy sky, the dense foliage, and the stark architecture are all achieved through a delicate control of materials and process. Etching was crucial to the wider availability of art, allowing for the mass production of images, and in turn contributing to a growing visual culture, and an increased circulation of images and ideas. The skilled hand of the artist meets the chemical action of the acid, a blend that democratized art in the modern era. So, next time you see a print, remember the potent mix of craft, chemistry, and commerce that brought it into being.