Eenzame wandelaar in een landschap 1838 - 1911

This is ‘Lonely Wanderer in a Landscape,’ an etching made by Jean Pierre François Lamorinière. The image has a palpable atmosphere that emerges from the artist’s technique. Lamorinière created this print by covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. He then used a needle to scratch away the ground, exposing the metal. When dipped in acid, lines are bitten into the plate. The varying depths and thicknesses of the etched lines allow for a rich range of tones, from the darkest shadows to the subtlest highlights. The image is built up through labor-intensive mark making: thousands of tiny hatches. This meticulous process results in a print that captures the play of light on the landscape and the introspective mood of the lone figure. Ultimately, this image invites us to reflect on the relationship between the material, the making, and the wider culture, challenging any strict divisions between fine art and craft.