Groep bermplanten 1789 - 1859

Pieter de Goeje created this print of roadside plants using etching, a printmaking technique that dates back to the early sixteenth century. To make an etching like this, the artist first covers a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Then, using a sharp needle, the artist scratches an image into the ground, exposing the metal beneath. When the plate is dipped in acid, the exposed lines are etched into the metal. The longer the plate remains in the acid, the deeper and darker the lines will be. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto a sheet of paper, transferring the image. This process allowed artists to create multiple identical copies of an image, facilitating the spread of information and ideas, but also contributing to the commercialization of art, as prints could be sold and distributed more easily than unique paintings or drawings.