Rouwende vrouw 1826 - 1886

Dirk Jurriaan Sluyter created this small print, 'Mourning Woman', using etching and engraving techniques sometime in the 19th century. Prints like this were made using labor-intensive processes. First, the artist would painstakingly draw an image into a coated metal plate. Then, acid would be applied, biting away the exposed lines. The plate would be inked, and then pressed onto paper. This allowed for the creation of multiple identical images; essentially, a miniature factory. The very material of the print, and the means of its production, had a social effect. It made images like this far more accessible to a wider audience beyond the traditional elite who could afford unique paintings and sculptures. This democratization of imagery was a significant effect of the printmaking technology, providing an affordable way of disseminating cultural ideals to a wider public. As such, the role of these small, mass-produced images in shaping social values should not be underestimated.