Schelpenvissers bij Katwijk 1887 - 1889

Carel Nicolaas Storm van 's-Gravesande made this etching, *Shellfishers near Katwijk*, using metal, acid, and ink. The etcher’s craft is central to the work. The artist would have coated a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratched away lines to expose the metal beneath. Immersed in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves. Ink is then forced into these grooves, and the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Consider the artist’s labor, the material transformation, and the traces left in the final print. See how the soft, blurred lines create a hazy atmosphere, evoking the coastal environment and the figures engaged in the hard work of shellfish gathering. Note that this etching process is not unlike other forms of manual labor, relying on careful control, and the management of external forces like chemical reactions. By emphasizing the labor-intensive printmaking process, we can better understand the social context of this artwork. It reflects the lives of the working class, and a shift in artistic interest toward everyday life, rather than conventional fine art subject matter.